


i thank you for teaching me

by ChangeTheCircumstances



Category: Biohazard | Resident Evil (Gameverse), Resident Evil - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Betrayal, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Family, Gen, Human!Wesker, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Deaths, Raccoon City, Resident Evil 1-3 AU, Zombies, it is RE after all
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:42:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 59,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24550096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChangeTheCircumstances/pseuds/ChangeTheCircumstances
Summary: On the eve of the planned events at Spencer Mansion in the Arklay Mountains, Albert Wesker finds himself confronted by Jill Valentine. Suddenly, his plans must change if he is to still follow Umbrella's orders to test STARS against the BOWs, or perhaps he has a different opportunity that could be just as fruitful in removing himself from Umbrella.
Relationships: Chris Redfield & Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield/Albert Wesker, Jill Valentine & Albert Wesker, Others mentioned
Comments: 58
Kudos: 132





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first attempt at delving into the Resident Evil fandom. The goal of this story is to cover an AU of the first three Resident Evil games so obviously a lot of characters will be mentioned, but I'll try to keep the tags brief and only tag very important characters and relationships rather than literally every one that gets mentioned.
> 
> I also plan to switch this between Jill's and Chris POV, but we'll see how I feel after I write the next couple of chapters. Could end up being more Jill centric but it just depends. Anyways, thank you to anyone who reads this. The title and some of this fic is inspired by the song Roots by In This Moment. It has definitely been on repeat as I continue to write this story.
> 
> With that said, thanks for giving this story a chance and I hope you enjoy!

Jill carefully looked around the office. Joseph and Chris weren’t in. Joseph probably wouldn’t have been a problem, but she was especially thankful Chris was gone. She knew what she was going to do would upset him. He just wouldn’t have all the facts. He would understand eventually, would forgive her once he realized what she was actually doing. It was for their safety after all. For all of STARS really.

Barry was intently writing up a report on his computer and Brad looked like he might have gotten distracted and was doodling on a notepad. Brad might take note of the confrontation. He would definitely gossip about it if he did. The thought made Jill grimace, but she reminded herself it was better if word got around. If everyone started to believe the ruse.

With all of Alpha Team either busy or gone, her eyes finally moved to their boss’s office. Wesker had just put the phone down and looked like he was beginning to go over some reports. Jill also knew he didn’t have a scheduled meeting right now. It meant there was less of a chance for them to be interrupted. Good.

It looked like it was showtime.

If Jill was right in her assumptions, then what she was about to do was going to make her skin crawl. If she was wrong? Well, she was pretty sure she would never live down the embarrassment. Worst of all, Chris would have every right to be upset with her then. Not only would she be accusing their captain, but she would be doing it in the most ridiculous way possible. Yet, she honestly hoped for the latter. Better to be embarrassed. Better to have Chris upset with her for a little while than…

Than…

Even now, as she stood up and went to Wesker’s office, it was hard to accept.

She didn’t bother knocking.

Instead, she moved swiftly and had the door closed before Wesker voiced any complaint.

“Valentine, please refrain from bursting into my office.”

Wesker always used their last names when he was annoyed or disappointed in them. He’d called her Valentine a lot when she’d first been assigned to Alpha, disapproving of how she was too quick to assess a situation and risked rushing in head first. She’d gotten better at that though. She could still remember the first time Wesker had given her a stoic nod and said, “Jill.”

She’d never felt prouder.

But now she felt sick.

Sicker and sicker in fact as she plastered on a fake smile. If she only thought the room was bugged, she would only have twisted her voice into false words and suggestive tones. However, because she couldn’t be sure, she put on a complete act, body language and all.

Wesker clearly took note. However, his face remained stoic as ever and his eyes unreadable behind his sunglasses as he just stared at her for a second.

Jill managed to say a few words. What she wanted to do was demand an answer from him. What she wanted to do was yell and maybe even puke at her actions right now. But all that came out was, “Please Captain, we know what this is about.”

She could tell from Wesker’s brow that his eyes had narrowed.

He was honestly confused.

In any other context, this would be laughable. The rest of Alpha would have been making bets on this and then Jill would have won. Their drinks would have clinked together and all eyes would have moved to Wesker’s furrowed brow and they would have laughed again at whatever had successfully confused their great captain.

Instead, Jill had to squelch down her anxiety.

Maybe she wasn’t being that convincing. Perhaps that was what was confusing Wesker even more, or maybe he thought it was one of their classic STARS bets gone too far. However, he still hadn’t said anything as Jill perched on the edge of his desk. She glanced over and saw Brad staring. She leaned over and twisted Wesker’s blinds shut. Part of it was to further the rumor that Brad was undoubtably spreading this very second. The other reason was just so he wouldn’t see what happened. She hated acting like this in front of only Wesker. She wasn’t going to do it in front of Brad and Barry too. Though the latter was mercifully still focused on paperwork.

“Valentine,” Wesker repeated. His voice didn’t betray any sense of confusion. He mostly sounded annoyed and about ready to throw her out of his office. “Though it is not against department policy, I must admit I am not interested. Remove yourself from my office.”

“Really? You’re really not interested?” asked Jill as she leaned down. Her lips were right by his ear. Any device nearby, if they really were present, would only hear unintelligible whispers. If people looked into this private moment, it would be written off as that. A private moment.

Jill honestly hoped Wesker would let out a sharp, humorless laugh. He would ask her what the hell she was on about and then tell her to get out of his office. She really hoped to leave, face flushed red and trying to hide her embarrassment against Brad’s stream of comments.

She really hoped that was the result as she whispered into her captain’s ear, “Does Umbrella have your room bugged?”

The fact that Wesker didn’t immediately question if she was insane honestly gave Jill answer enough. That sickening feeling in her stomach started to grow. She still didn’t have all the facts, but what she knew wasn’t looking good.

Somehow, she managed to keep that smile on her face as she moved back and looked at her captain. He had barely moved. He didn’t look shocked. He wasn’t even irritated anymore. He was thinking and thinking very hard about what he was going to say next.

Jill batted her eyes and said, “Come on Captain, we both know we’ve been dancing around this for weeks.”

They really hadn’t been. If anything, it had been more so Chris and Wesker, which was why this was probably going to piss Chris off. But again, the words were for the unknown listeners. Wesker’s quick glance, even from behind his sunglasses, told her that he understood the real words she had said.

_Tell me if your room is bugged by Umbrella. Now._

“Yes,” Wesker evenly said.

What did this mean? How involved was the captain? Her captain? Her friend? Part of her fucking family and yet—

Jill managed to keep from going into a full blown panic attack. Or rant. Or honestly just attacking him out of anger. She forced a smile again and said, “So then my place? Tonight?” With Alpha and Bravo working on a twenty-four hour swivel, it meant they would have plenty of time to talk.

“That is acceptable.”

He did realize what kind of cover she was trying to give them, right? Or if she had actually been making an advance and he’d gone along with it, was this just the Wesker way to react? That was certainly possible. Whatever the reason though, Jill just knew she hated how calm he was about this.

What she said though was, “I’ll drive us both. No reason you should drive. Especially when you won’t be going home.” She added an extra layer of seductiveness to the words, or at least tried to. What she really meant though was that she was going to be in control of this whole situation, damn it. Whatever followed, whatever was said, it would happen in the comfort of her own car or her own apartment and Captain Wesker sure as shit better agree to those terms.

She waited and—

“Yes. I will see you outside when Bravo Team has come to relieve us.”

“Sounds perfect Captain.”

Jill left the office, avoided Brad’s wide-eyed, open mouthed face, and sat down and got to work.

She refused to let anything distract her. However, she could tell when Chris came back and that he had definitely heard something, most likely from Brad. She could feel the two holes being burned into the side of her head and she hated it. He would forgive her eventually, but for now Jill didn’t risk starting an argument when Bravo Team came to relieve them. She said goodbye to Barry, waved to the rest, and avoided the betrayed look in Chris’ eyes as she headed outside.

As she waited on her captain, she looked over her car as quickly as she could.

Ever since she’d begun to uncover everything, she’d become almost anal about it. So far, she hadn’t found any bugs though. She had to count that as a promising result. Clearly no one expected her to have started putting everything together. No one was probably even looking her way. Well, no one except Wesker now.

She’d known the risk of talking to him, but she’d honestly hit a dead end. She could have chosen the slow and steady approach. She could have waited, played detective a little more. But something about the event that had sparked all this had her rattled. Really fucking rattled, and she couldn’t help the unsettling feeling that she wouldn’t have time to go the slow and steady pace. Because of that, it was time for the direct approach.

She was ready to not waste any time when Wesker appeared. Her thoughts swirled as she tried to think about how to start. But before she could, Wesker calmly said, “You’ve upset Chris with this little rendezvous. I don’t think it’ll be good for team morale.”

Jill side-eyed him. Wait…was her car bugged then?

Wesker seemed to pick up on the panic though. He simply said, “No one is listening right now. I can assure you of that Miss Valentine.”

Still with the last name. It was Jill’s only clue that Wesker was upset with how all this was going. But why was he upset? How was he involved? Now that he had basically confirmed his involvement, Jill’s real fear was finding out just how deep the connection went. She voiced that concern. “I don’t know if I can trust you Captain.”

“Then why come to me at all Jill?”

And suddenly it was back to her first name? Was he proud in some weird way? That she’d put this together? Proud maybe that she didn’t trust him? But he didn’t exactly know what this was that she was trying to uncover. That was made clear as she said, “I need you to explain to me what Umbrella is doing.”

“Explain to me why you have decided to focus on Umbrella. I must say, it’s impressive you’ve found the connection out of all of STARS’ members.”

“I’m a fucking cop too,” bit out Jill. The fact that she could tell what her captain was doing just made it worse. It made her worse fears feel that much more real. “I know all the tricks and trades of how to interrogate someone. So why don’t we just speak plainly, _Captain_.”

“As you wish. I will divulge nothing until you explain what you found and how you found it. Only then, might I answer your questions.”

“Might?”

“You asked for honesty, I am giving you that Jill.”

Still with the first name. Now her head was getting more confused. Was he saying it because he was proud that she was pushing? That she was aware of the technique he had just tried to use on her? Or was using her first name now a technique in its own right? A way to remind her of their family and how they were both a part of it. Or at least, Wesker had been a part of it. Depending on what Jill learned from him, if he decided to give anything away, would really change how much she considered him family after this.

But despite whatever reason he had for using her first name now, it honestly didn’t matter. She didn’t have anywhere else to turn and with that sense of urgency still looming over her, she couldn’t waste time with mind games.

“Fine,” she growled out. “I’ll explain when we get to my apartment.” She glanced over. With Wesker staring straight ahead, she managed to see his piercing blue eyes. She hoped to see something in them, to get some kind of clue. However, all that they told her was that he was thinking extremely carefully, like that one time he and Barry had played chess and his glasses had slipped to the edge of his nose.

Was that what this was? A chess match? Was he doing the same thing that she was doing, weighing what pieces could be lost and which ones needed to be saved in order to end up on top?

And if this was chess, then whose side was her dear old captain on?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thank you to anyone who has left a kudo or comment! Another Jill chapter but I'm planning for the next one to be Chris centric. Can't wait to start writing that one and I hope you enjoy this one. Thanks for reading <3

“Should I be impressed, or should I recommend a psychiatric evaluation?”

Jill glared at the back of Wesker’s head. As he turned, leaning to look at one of the photos, she saw the slight twitch of his lips. Was this a fucking joke to him? And yet…

From an outsider’s perspective, it did look a bit like she’d gone off the deep end. Old newspaper clippings, copied pictures, words underlined in red, and string connecting the dots littered the space. Some of it was pinned to a bulletin board. Not all of it had fit though and other parts were taped to the wall. The set up was largely why she hadn’t had Chris over for beers while they fell asleep to reruns of _The X-Files_ or _The Simpsons_ like they usually did once a week. At the time, she just hadn’t known how to explain it to him. Now though?

Hell, she still had no idea how to explain it to him. And with Wesker? It just made things more complicated.

Jill was silent for a moment. She simply took in her captain’s review of the board. However, he gave nothing away. If he recognized anything, she couldn’t tell. She couldn’t even be positive if the connections she had made so far were accurate or not. At least not by his gaze. After a moment, Jill inched into her kitchen. She kept an eye on the door for several seconds before she could concur that Wesker wasn’t going to run.

Why he would come all this way only to run now, Jill didn’t know. But then, she felt like she didn’t know a lot of things anymore, despite knowing more about Raccoon City than she ever had before.

Jill finally turned her back on Wesker. It was the first time she had ever done that to her captain and had felt uneasy over it.

She reached into her fridge and cracked open a beer.

When she turned back around, Wesker had finally focused on one image from a police report. He gestured towards it. “This is what started all this.”

It wasn’t a question. Wesker must have figured out the board’s pattern. Now everything led to a single point, an image of Umbrella’s logo. However, that wasn’t the center of the board and Umbrella hadn’t been the first image to go up there.

“Explain.” It sounded like Wesker was saying it during a briefing and she had some useful information the rest of the team hadn’t heard about. It was so similar to any past conversation with her boss.

But this time Jill wasn’t so eager to share with the class. She took another swig of her beer and walked closer. “The Soto’s. You asked if the woman had said anything? Well, I lied.”

* * *

_The call was ridiculous, and yet STARS had been the ones ordered to go. That told everyone it wasn’t ridiculous. It told them it was real. But it couldn’t be, right? An older woman had dragged her son through the door and bit a chunk out of his neck? Really?_

_Yet there Jill was, gun raised as she took point and entered the home. Joseph was right behind her. They had entered the front. Chris and the captain were coming in through the back. Barry and Brad were waiting outside, back up in case something changed._

_There was blood everywhere in the home’s main entrance. What looked to be the dead body of the son was half in the hallway, half in the next room. A noise was coming from upstairs where the main trail of blood led. Jill gestured for Joseph to check the rooms near them as she slowly went up the steps. Joseph turned the corners, pointing his gun and bringing it back close to his body before he followed. Then they were on the second floor and heading into what looked like an upstairs living room._

_What they found was animalistic._

_The old woman was bent over with a ripped off arm. Her face came round, blood dripping from her lips and skin gray. Black veins bulged and her eyes looked almost dead._

_Jill’s grip tightened on her gun. However, she didn’t want to shoot. They needed to figure out what the hell had happened to this woman. Had she done it to anyone else? Killed anyone else? And at least right now, despite the blood and half eaten arm, she just looked so small and weak. Then her lips started to move. Jill crept forward. She could tell Joseph was tensing behind her. He probably didn’t want to act out of turn, but she could tell he wasn’t comfortable with this situation one bit. The woman didn’t attack though so Jill bent her knees and dropped her gun a little._

_“What?”_

_The words came slightly broken, twisted, like the woman had forgotten how to speak. Or her lungs just couldn’t push up enough air to fully form the sounds. Something that seemed like, “Why Umbrella?” escaped her lips though. It just confused Jill more._

_“What?” Jill repeated._

_The woman’s eyes flickered away. Jill just barely processed that Wesker had gone around and come through a different entrance into the second living room._

_“W-Wesker?”_

_Jill froze. Had the woman just said her captain’s name. Why? How did she know him and—_

_“Jill!” Wesker snapped._

_She jolted back._

_The woman launched towards her, teeth bare and mouth wide open._

_A bullet shot through her skull seconds before she made contact and the body hit the ground with a deadening thud._

_Wesker slowly lowered his smoking barrel. He spoke into his radio first. “That was me. Subject subdued. You can send the rest of them in.” To Jill, he said, “Valentine, I expect an explanation for your behavior.”_

_“I thought I could bring her in sir. I thought she might have…I thought I could get an explanation out of her.”_

_“Did she say anything Valentine?” Wesker asked. He asked it like this was any other mission and yet…_

_Jill didn’t understand. How did the woman know Wesker? Why hadn’t Wesker said anything about knowing her in the briefing? He was so by the book most of the time. Why hadn’t he divulged that information? And if he did know her, why wasn’t he reacting at all? She wanted to explain, but for the first time, she felt the urge to keep something from her captain. She needed more information before she risked giving away what she may have just learned._

_“She didn’t sir. I just made an error in judgement. It won’t happen again.”_

_“See that you do,” Wesker curtly said._

_With that, the rest of the police were coming in to pick up the evidence and send in the EMTs to retrieve the bodies. Joseph came up behind her._

_“What the hell Jill? That woman could have eaten your face off.”_

_So Joseph hadn’t heard? Only her? Maybe she was imagining it…_

_She managed an uneasy, humorless laugh. “She was an old woman. Even with all the evidence, I just didn’t think she could have really done this.”_

* * *

“So she did speak,” hummed Wesker. He didn’t say it, but Jill could practically see the word ‘fascinating’ slipping from his lips.

“What the hell is so great about it?” growled Jill.

“I didn’t say that,” he calmly replied.

“You didn’t have to. It’s written on your fucking face. What does that even mean—”

He interrupted her. “So from two simple words, my name and Umbrella, you created this.” Again, it was more a statement than anything. “Explain your next jump in logic.”

Jill bit back another retort. She remembered what Wesker had said. She wished she could force it out of him, but her captain wasn’t so easily swayed. Whatever he would tell her would be because he chose to and not because of anything she did. Because of that, Jill relented and started to explain her process. To be fair, she was just telling him how. The information was already right there in front of him so it wasn’t like keeping quiet would have really hidden anything.

She just wished he would give her something, anything. Captain Wesker, though tough, had always seemed to be fair. But now? Her sharing this didn’t even guarantee that Wesker would give her anything in return.

Still, Jill went with it for now. She walked over and pulled out some larger copies of documents that she couldn’t pin to the wall. As she showed them, she said, “Once I started looking, I couldn’t stop. They-Umbrella-they’re everywhere. I just…I don’t understand why no one noticed before—”

“I think you do understand,” Wesker calmly replied. “Tell me.”

It was like he was trying to guide her to the right answer. Like this was just them training or running through a hypothetical situation. It felt normal and wrong all at the same time. She looked down at the copies in her hands, at the name signed and dotted at the bottom of the first page.

“I know Chief Irons is involved,” Jill whispered softly. “And if he is then…Umbrella really has enough power to have complete oversight. Don’t they? That’s why no one has ever noticed because those that would are already involved. Or if someone comes upon it, their silence is bought.”

“Their silence is rarely bought, but otherwise, well done Jill.”

She understood what was being implied. But how could he say those words so calmly?! How could he be so ok with this?!

However, she stopped herself from voicing those concerns. If she was being honest, she already knew the answer. It was what she’d been hoping against. Yes, Wesker had to be involved somehow, but maybe it wasn’t willingly. Maybe he was being blackmailed. Maybe he was being tricked too. But the evidence hadn’t supported that. Wesker’s own character hadn’t supported that. And now? Wesker’s attitude over all this definitely wasn’t supporting that kind of conclusion.

Jill took a deep breath. She took another swig from her beer before setting the bottle down. “How long?”

His body turned back to the board. Jill stepped over so she could see his eyes, as she tried to see anything of the man she had once known, or if it had been a complete lie. She repeated her question.

“How long?”

Wesker’s eyes moved first. The blue pierced her own. She realized that she still saw him. She knew him. The months of training and working under him hadn’t been a complete lie. And because of that, she knew exactly what he was about to do as his gaze slightly narrowed.

She grabbed his wrist just as his hand grabbed his gun.

Her left hand went to punch Wesker’s face. He grabbed her fist, twisting her wrist and pulling his other hand out of her grip. Jill wasn’t above playing dirty though. She acted like she was going to kick high but instead slammed her boot into Wesker’s shin at the last second. He let out a grunt of pain and Jill used the moment to pull back. She grabbed her gun and pulled it out just as Wesker steadied his stance and did the same.

Adrenaline was pumping through Jill as she stared wide-eyed at her captain.

The safety was off and the gun was raised. His finger didn’t even tremble as it rested right over the trigger. He finally answered her question. “Long enough to know you’re a security risk.”

Wesker was going to shoot. She could see it in his stance. She was ready to do the same, but could she bring herself to shoot him first? How would that look? Just from the hints she’d gotten from him, from what she’d found, Umbrella was massive. Her life would be over. And would anyone even believe her explanation for why she had shot her own captain?

She wanted to believe that if anyone believed her, it would be Chris, but even that she couldn’t be sure of assuming what evidence she had found got destroyed before Chris could get here. She’d brought Wesker here hoping to get more information, only it seemed she’d miscalculated. He was going to shoot her—

“And long enough to know I want out.”

She blinked in surprise as Wesker lowered his gun and put the safety back on. He put it in its holster and then raised an eyebrow, waiting for Jill to do the same.

When she didn’t, he added, “Killing you now would only complicate the exit strategy. Instead, I think you could be quite useful.”

“And I help you why?” asked Jill. “You give me information? Explain exactly what is going on?”

“If you like. But I think you’ll discover this is no simple op.” Wesker smiled, almost like he was looking forward to this as Jill slowly lowered her gun despite how her skin continued to crawl. “If you’re hoping to make a bust, to take someone down, I’m afraid it will be you against the city. Well…us against the city I suppose.”

“Don’t lump me in with you,” growled Jill. “What I’ve learned, the things you’ve been complicit in by working with Umbrella—”

“I’ve never killed anyone for them. If that helps.”

“No, it doesn’t fucking help!” Ok, in a weird way it kind of did. But it was like getting a cut after a dog bite. Yeah, not having the cut was nice, but whether it was there or not, it didn’t exactly distract from the chunk that had already been taken from her. “You’re still complicit. You still betrayed us. Betrayed STARS’ trust!”

“I haven’t. Not yet.”

“Yet—”

“Please put your gun away Valentine. I believe it will make this discussion much simpler.”

“Like hell I will.”

Wesker let out a small sigh but didn’t push. He looked back to the board. “You want information? I think I will tell you a little.”

Of course it was just ‘a little’. But hell, it was better than being shot by her own boss. Jill hesitantly stepped closer as Wesker turned back to the board, filling in some gaps, correcting a few mistakes. And as he spoke, Jill slowly lowered her gun before finally just putting it away. It was like the walls in her apartment were growing farther and farther apart. As Wesker’s words kept flowing, she realized she’d never felt more alone. Except—

“So, Jill, what will you do next?” Wesker finished.

Her wide eyes moved between the board and Wesker’s face. What was she going to do?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a longer chapter, though I do plan to keep these chapters relatively short so I can update more regularly. Thank you again for anyone who has taken the time to read this so far. Hope you enjoy!

Chris rubbed his eyes as he walked into his apartment and dropped his keys on the side table. He was tired and confused, and the fact that Jill was contributing to part of that just made it worse.

Normally if something was bothering him, he would have called Jill. He would have invited her over, or more likely would have gone to her place. But since that clearly wasn’t an option right now, Chris pulled out a frozen meal and threw it in the microwave. He quickly rinsed off and changed before coming back to get the meal. He brought it to his bedroom, got comfortable, and pulled the corded phone over.

Because of the time difference, it would be close to midnight for Claire. However, Chris remembered her talking about the late study nights ahead of her due to summer midterms coming up. Hopefully she was awake.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Three times—

“Just got out of the shower. Give me a quick second Chris!”

He chuckled at her excited voice. He sometimes forgot that she had caller ID, but then again, who else would call her this late? He rested the phone on his shoulder, taking a few bites of dinner before he heard Claire on the other line and pulled the phone close again.

She was already in the middle of asking something. She was so good at telling when something was off. However, Chris put it off just for a little while and interrupted her. He wanted to pretend things were normal. At least for a bit. “How’s school?”

A long groan sounded on the other end. Chris couldn’t help but laugh. Claire started to go into a rant, and it seemed he’d successfully distracted her. However, as usual, she picked up that something was off. Eventually the ranting decreased and she finally said, “You’re pretty quiet tonight.”

“I just like hearing you talk shit about the kids in your class.”

“You make it sound like I’m twelve and I’ve been starting fights on the jungle gym.”

“Haven’t you? At least in an academic sense?”

“An academic sense,” she snorted. “I’ll have to remember that one. But hey! You’re not distracting me from this.”

“From what?” Chris innocently asked. He planned to put off divulging what was really bothering him for a little longer. He did enjoy these moments with his sister immensely.

At least that was the plan until Claire came out of left field. “Is this about the murders?”

Chris jolted upright, spilling what remained of his dinner. He cursed.

“Chris?”

“I’m still here. Just give me a second,” he grumbled. He threw the container onto his dresser with the clumps of food that had fallen out. He thought about cleaning up more, and then just let out a defeated sigh. He slumped down in bed in his newly stained shirt. He pulled the receiver back to his ear. “Last time I told you I couldn’t say anything about ongoing police investigations. How the hell did you hear about this?”

“Well obviously I knew it was a police matter. I just had to call up some news stations down there. Got one of the City’s papers mailed to me. From what people have let slip, there’s been at least two strange cases of like cannibalism or whatever. But there’s been more, right? How many has it been?”

“Claire, you know I can’t—”

“Three?”

“Please—”

“Four?”

“I can’t just—”

“ _Five_?”

He could hear the worry as her voice rose and Chris automatically said, “Four! Only four, and one of them was technically an animal attack.”

“Technically? But you’re lumping it in with the rest?”

“I thought you told me you didn’t want to become a cop,” sighed Chris, avoiding the question for the moment.

“I’m just worried about you.”

“I know, but I really can’t talk about those,” Chris repeated. Or the fact that the time frame between the last two was far closer than the first was to the second. It was very worrisome. And that worry had only increased since there seemed to be no official push to discover why. It seemed like they were taking the case closed approach since each investigation had ended with the suspect dying. “Tell me about your bike. You said you were thinking of getting a second one. Did you?”

“How about I tell you after you tell me what else is bothering you?”

“I can’t—”

“Not the cases. I can tell there’s something else though. Isn’t there Chris?”

He let out a long sigh. This was why he’d called her after all. “Yeah, there is.”

“Have you talked to Jill about it? Or Barry? He might be able to help.”

“With Barry it would just be too…weird. And Jill kind of…is part of…the uh…”

“Oh my god, Chris did you sleep with her!?”

“No!”

“Oh.” Claire actually sounded a bit stunned.

“Ok, now I just feel insulted.”

“Sorry, sorry!” laughed Claire. “So then what is it?”

“Remember Daisy?”

“Yeah, I’d nearly forgotten. She’s still one of the civilian clerks at the station, right?”

“Yep.”

“I’m guessing you didn’t go for that date since you haven’t mentioned her in a while.”

“No.”

“And this has to do with Jill because…”

“Because Jill told me not to!”

“I’m not following.”

“She said she wasn’t my type.” Chris tiredly rubbed his eyes. “She’s uh…actually been trying to convince me to ask Wesker out.”

“As in the captain? Your captain? The amazing captain I believe you called him once. That Wesker?”

At least Claire’s reaction was causing a bit of an embarrassed laugh to escape his lips. It felt better than feeling confused and hurt anyways. “Yes.”

“Well…I guess I can honestly see that from how you’ve talked about him.” Chris didn’t get a chance to ask what the hell that meant as Claire kept going. “But let me guess, you did ask him out, he embarrassingly shot you down, and now you’re blaming Jill for the whole idea. Right?”

He would have almost preferred that at this point. “Actually no. This is where everything just gets…confusing,” admitted Chris. “She’s been distant the last week or two. I thought it was just the strange cases, but everything else has been going smoothly. Nothing unusual otherwise.”

“I’m guessing you asked her once or twice about it, and then when she didn’t give, you decided to give her some space and waited for her to come to you if she needed it.”

“Exactly! Only today, Brad saw her going into Wesker’s office, put the moves on him, and slip the blinds shut.”

“Isn’t he the gossipy one though? Maybe he misread the signals.” Brad was the only one of Alpha Team Claire hadn’t met yet.

“I thought that too. Maybe. But she refused to look at me for the whole rest of the day, and then they left together. Together! Like Wesker actually left his car at the station and got in Jill’s after we got off. He’s never done that, even for get togethers at the bar or the few times Barry has invited us all over for dinner!”

“Oh…ouch.”

“Yeah, ouch,” grumbled Chris. “Why the hell would she be egging me on for months only to do this? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“To be fair, it doesn’t. I mean, I’ve only met her twice now, but from how you talk about her, this seems like a pretty out of character move.”

“That’s the problem. I don’t understand why she would have done this, but what else could it be?”

“Maybe there’s a simpler explanation.”

“Simpler?”

“Or a way more complicated one,” sighed Claire. “Just maybe things aren’t what they seem. Have you talked to her yet?”

“I didn’t get a chance today. Like I said, she wouldn’t even look at me and they left pretty quickly.”

“Ok, so she knows what this looks like then and feels bad about it. That still doesn’t mean what’s happening is actually happening.”

Claire was right. Chris just couldn’t think of what kind of explanation Jill could have for him. “I’ll go over tomorrow. Before we’re supposed to switch with Bravo Team,” he sighed.

“See? Just do that. It’ll help, I’m sure. Hey, and remember, you have Barry to talk to.”

“It would still just be too weird—”

“I could talk to him for you—”

“Absolutely not!”

Claire laughed on the other end. Chris could only roll his eyes.

“Enough about my problems. Tell me about the new bike now. You did get it, right?”

“Oh, I did! One of my friends who’s majoring in photography snapped some great pics of it. I’ll have to show you when I visit next. They really show off her curves.”

“Are you ever going to stop talking about a bike like it’s a respectable lady?”

“I will when she stops being one.”

Chris laughed good and hard at that. “Make and model?”

Claire went into a ton of specifics, some of which Chris could follow. Others, he had to double check. He was sure she’d mentioned it before but had just forgotten. Though not really new, she’d been able to indulge her hobby once she’d gotten into college. The last few birthday presents had even involved equipment for bike repair and customization. Claire certainly needed it as she would constantly work on a bike and was always determined to make them look brand new.

After a while, Chris stopped asking so many questions and just let Claire’s voice wash over him—

Chris woke up on his back, the receiver resting against his shoulder and light streaming in through the windows. He must have fallen asleep at some point, the line long since dead. He briefly wondered how long Claire had kept talking before she’d realized he hadn’t been listening anymore. It put a brief smile on Chris’ face. He put the phone up and went to throw away the half-eaten meal from last night.

Being on a twenty-four hour rotation meant his sleep schedule was pretty rocky. Sometimes it was a slow day and STARS weren’t called anywhere. It was easy to get a quick rest at the desk here and there. Other times they were on the clock longer, in the middle of a situation and having to wrap everything up and do the paperwork when normally Bravo Team would have already switched with them. Some of the members had a harder time adjusting their sleep schedule, but if there was one good thing that had come out of working for the military, it was his ability to catch a few minutes of rest anywhere. Or if he had the time off, sleep nearly twelve hours or more.

Of course, STARS members weren’t expected to be at the office twenty-four seven. It just meant that whereas other officers could clock out and be good, STARS could still be called in at any time, morning, day, or night. It was only recently that they’d been doing full twenty-four hour days due to the strange, escalating murders.

Chris still had a few hours before he needed to go in.

He made a late breakfast, did some laundry, and cleaned up since he had the time, another good habit taken from the military. Jill had worked in the army but had never been exceptionally clean with her own place. It was usually one of the things they joked about.

Just what was going on? Honestly, the longer he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Claire was right. Things weren’t what they seemed. Which meant whatever Jill was hiding-he supposed her and Wesker-was best left hidden behind a false affair? But why?

Those thoughts plagued him as time ticked on.

Eventually, he got dressed and left early. He went to Jill’s apartment, but upon seeing her car wasn’t there, he turned around and headed to work. He didn’t have anything else to do so he might as well finish that last report he’d been working on. He drove back to the police station and—

The captain’s car was still there. Jill’s wasn’t.

Chris briefly wondered if maybe she’d dropped Wesker off or a number of other possibilities could have occurred, but upon getting into the STARS office, he saw that Wesker and Jill weren’t in. Were they still together? Where?

He was pretty early and the only member of Alpha Team there. Richard and Edward were leaning over Edward’s computer as they wrote something up. Captain Marini was in his office, Forest and Kenneth were gone, possibly already done for the day. The new recruit was just packing up at her desk. Chris had only seen her in passing once, and this was the first time seeing her with her own STARS emblem on her sleeve and gun on her hip.

“Rebecca Chambers, right?” asked Chris. When she looked up, he held out his hand.

Her eyes betrayed how tired she was. It must have been a long day. Nevertheless, the young rookie perked up and immediately took his hand. “Chris Redfield, pointman. Sharpshooter and co-pilot as well. It’s excellent to formally meet you.”

Before Chris could ask how she already knew all that, Richard pipped up, “She had all of us and our positions memorized like baseball cards.”

“Was already caught up on the current cases too,” added Edward.

“I like to be thorough,” she mumbled as she tucked her hair behind her ear with an embarrassed look down.

“Hey, thorough is good,” smiled Chris. “With that attitude, you soon won’t even be called the rookie of STARS.”

“We’ve already decided to bench the rookie nickname for her,” Edward replied. “She saved Kenneth’s neck.”

Though obviously a compliment to Rebecca, Chris picked up on the tone of voice. He also noticed how tired the other two looked. “Was there another attack?”

“A dog this time, but yeah,” Edward replied.

Richard added, “With the same weird shit going on with its face and fur. Rebecca got it through the neck as it launched itself at Kenneth. Captain Marini put it down before it could get back up.”

“How many dead this time?” asked Chris.

“Three with one being sent to the hospital,” explained Rebecca.

Before Chris could respond, Bravo’s captain came out of his office, looking equally as tired. “Make that four. Just got the call. He passed about thirty minutes ago.”

That made this the most losses in one attack. Noting Rebecca’s downcast face, Chris put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at him and said, “Just because I don’t have some kind of military background like the rest of you doesn’t mean I didn’t know what I was signing myself up for.”

“Yes ma’am,” replied Chris.

That at least got a small chuckle out of her. He took a step back as she headed for the door.

“See you later Rebecca,” Edward and Richard called out.

Marini came up to Chris. “I’m heading out now. Warn Wesker that Irons is on the warpath for him though. Apparently, he tried calling him multiple times today and he’s just gotten more and more pissed at not knowing where he is.”

“I’ll pass along the warning,” Chris replied. He went to sit down just as Barry and Joseph came in.

“I’m surprised you beat Wesker,” said Joseph. “Well, I normally would be, but I’m guessing he had a pretty busy day what with Jill not being here. Am I right?”

Barry cut off Joseph’s laugh with a pointed look. “What they do on their personal time is none of our business. If they wish to discuss it, that’s on them. We have enough gossip with Brad. We don’t need you adding to it.”

“Right,” Joseph said with an embarrassed look. He put his things down at his desk and left the office for the moment.

Barry shot Chris a look like he knew, but thankfully his old friend didn’t push. Everyone in the office stuck to their work with Richard and Edward leaving not long after. They almost bumped into Brad who rushed in at the last second.

“I’m sorry I’m late-oh. Hang on, I beat Joseph, Jill, _and_ the captain?”

“Just Jill and the captain. Joseph is around here somewhere,” replied Barry.

That made Chris look at the time. Jill and Wesker were late. Suddenly the idea that it was a simple affair seemed even less likely than before. If that was it, then Chris doubted Jill or Wesker would allow it to make them late. What the hell were they doing?

Joseph came back not long after. Five more minutes passed by. Then ten. Then—

Wesker and Jill walked in together.

Chris had so many questions. He quickly stood up and all eyes turned to him. However, he wasn’t going to do this now. He sure as shit wouldn’t make a fool of himself and didn’t want to be the one to start office drama. He took a deep breath and focused solely on Wesker.

“Sir, Marini wanted me to warn you that Chief—”

“Wesker!”

The shout came from outside the door. Jill jumped out of the way as Irons burst through hard enough to cause the door to snap back against the wall. Everyone got quiet real quick, freezing in whatever activity they’d been doing. Chris winced.

“Sorry sir,” he whispered.

Wesker shot him one of his rare, kinder smiles. “It’s quite alright Chris. Chief Irons—”

“Shut it Wesker! In your office, now!”

Though Wesker was perhaps the only person not afraid of Irons-even Marini had been known to flinch under the police chief’s gaze-Wesker did follow the order. As he walked through, he looked at Alpha Team and said, “I expect any unfinished reports to be on my desk after this.”

“Yes sir,” everyone quietly said.

Wesker walked into his office. Chief Irons slammed the door behind him, causing all the blinds to shake. Wesker sat down, his posture and facial expression giving nothing away, though it was clear he wasn’t intimidated by the tirade as Irons slammed his fist on the desk.

The captain looked away for a split second. Chris followed it and noticed the gaze was directed towards Jill. Something passed between the two of them when Chief Irons suddenly seemed to realize that everyone was staring into Wesker’s office. He snapped the blinds shut and then everyone slowly started to get back to work.

No one said a thing, not even Brad as they kept their heads down and focused on the screen or paper in front of them. Almost thirty minutes passed before Irons left in just as much of a commotion as he had entered.

He slammed the door to their office so hard that they could hear the small plague on the other side falling off.

After several more minutes of silence, Barry finally got up. He opened the door and fixed the STARS sign back into place just as Wesker finally came out of his office.

“Jill, I need a word.”

Chris watched her go, brow knit in confusion as she still avoided his gaze. When Wesker closed the door behind her, neither bothered lifting up the blinds. Chris waited, but it seemed that this wasn’t going to be a short meeting. Just what the hell was going on?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much again! It's really awesome to read your comments and thank you so much for any kudos given. I'm glad you're enjoying this so far and hope you continue to do so <3
> 
> Also, quick note, I think I plan to do 2 Jill chapters and 2 Chris chapters and then go back and forth like that. Obviously could change but I think that's how I want to do the format of the story. Enjoy!

After Jill left Wesker’s office, everyone quickly went to hand in their recently finished reports. Then—

Chris stared down at his desk.

No one said anything. Chief Irons’ tirade was too fresh in their minds. Even Brad, who normally would have tried to gossip with Jill-though this time more about Jill-was quiet. Wesker didn’t bother to close his door either so no one really felt comfortable whispering. All that could be heard was the sound of typing and the occasional pen or pencil against paper.

At one point, Jill started to get up.

Chris quickly glanced around. They weren’t getting a call. Wesker hadn’t given any orders yet. Chris was finished with his paperwork though so the moment Jill walked out the door, he got up and followed. He could feel Barry’s eyes on his back, watching him curiously, but he didn’t make any objection. If the captain saw, he didn’t say anything either.

Once outside the office, Chris didn’t waste any time.

He grabbed Jill’s arm and pulled her off to the side.

“Chris, what the hell?” hissed Jill.

He let go of her and crossed his arms. His eyes narrowed as he carefully looked at her. An educated guess came to his lips and he carefully gaged Jill’s reaction as he spoke. “You didn’t sleep with the captain.”

“Yes I did!”

An immediate reaction. She didn’t sound insulted. She sounded desperate. Desperate for him to believe the lie. Chris looked a little harder. His frown deepened. “But you didn’t. You want everyone to think you did but—”

A cop started to walk by. Before Chris could finish his thought, it was Jill’s turn to grab his arm. She pulled him into an empty briefing room and quickly closed the door. She spun on him and held up her finger. “Chris, I’m warning you now. Stay out of this.”

“Out of what? What the hell is going on that you and Wesker had to spend twenty-four hours together by yourself?” asked Chris. And now that she wasn’t trying to avoid his gaze, he could see that she’d probably stayed awake for most of those hours too. “What’s so important and needs to be kept so secret that you’re pretending to have an affair with the captain?”

“I’m not pretending damn it! Chris just—”

“There you two are.”

They both jumped as Wesker came in.

He gave them both unreadable looks before focusing on Jill. “It would appear the plan has changed. It would be more effective if STARS were brought in.”

Chris watched in confusion as Jill stiffened. She took a step closer to Wesker and whispered to him. Chris watched as Wesker’s brow twitched in annoyance. He whispered something back. Jill whispered again, twice as angry.

As for what it was all about, Chris only picked out small words like, ‘the plan’ and ‘a call’ and ‘change’ and ‘spreading’.

He was just about ready to profusely apologize to Wesker for his future behavior and then immediately ask him what the fuck was going on. Before he got the chance though, Wesker pulled back and said to Chris, “STARS has been called out. Get ready and meet by unmarked van two.”

Wait, if that was true, why the hell hadn’t Wesker led with that? His radio hadn’t gone off. What did he mean STARS had been called out? What did he want to bring STARS into that was apparently making Jill so upset? The captain left the room. Jill was about to follow, but Chris grabbed her arm just before she could.

“Jill, please tell me what the fuck is going on—”

“Just follow along,” she hissed back. She seemed truly angry now, though Chris wasn’t sure what the captain could have said to cause it.

All Chris could do was follow. A small part of him expected that they would be going to storage. Barry would hand out the big guns or Wesker would pull a quick meeting with Jill explaining their planned entry into a hostile situation. They would get any of the necessary equipment for a bomb defusal, chemical leak, whatever. But things honestly got stranger. By this point, Chris couldn’t even say he was surprised anymore.

Wesker had disappeared, but Chris followed Jill straight outside to the riot vehicles and vans specifically designated for SWAT and STARS, some marked, others not. Jill pulled open the side door of one of them and got in. Chris hesitated. He tried to read what the hell was going on with Jill, but she was avoiding his eyes again. Chris slowly pulled himself in just as the rest of Alpha Team piled out of the building. Barry and Brad climbed into the back with them, but no one was carrying extra equipment. The vests weren’t out. They looked just as confused.

Wesker got into the passenger’s seat. Joseph got behind the wheel just as Barry slid the back door shut.

There was a moment of uncertain silence before Joseph hesitantly asked, “Um…where to sir?”

“Jack’s Bar.”

The confusion just grew among everyone, except for Jill who kept her head down.

“I’m sorry—”

“Don’t make me repeat myself Frost,” snapped Wesker. “I didn’t hire you to be slow on the uptake.”

“Yes sir,” Joseph quickly said. He started the van and headed out.

Chris could only stare.

Were they really using a police van to go to a bar? On the clock? And Wesker of all people had ordered it? It was clear that Brad and Barry wanted to voice their confusion too, but no one wanted to be the first person to mention how strange this all was.

The unmarked van bumped along before arriving at the bar. There were a couple of good ones in the city, but this was the usual go-to for any cop in the RCPD. Because of that, no one really batted an eye at them except for some familiars as they said hello and waved. The place had seen far more cops at one time than now. Wesker guided them to one of the two circular booths in the back.

As Jack’s was a bar and grill, Wesker said, “Eat if you’d like. But we are on the clock.”

No one said anything, still completely confused by this entire display. The only one who seemed completely comfortable was Wesker himself as he singularly spoke with the familiar face of the waitress, Cindy.

Wesker ordered drinks for all of them, water for most and Brad’s choice of soda before anyone could say anything. She didn’t question it, though she had to note it was unusual for no one to be drinking. Usually they would all have at least one beer. Cindy kept her smile perfectly in place though and once she was out of earshot, Wesker leaned back. His covered gaze slowly went over each member of Alpha Team.

Chris waited expectantly. He glanced at everyone else to see if he could get anything from them, but all eyes were on Wesker. Only Jill seemed to know what was going on, but her face was painfully unreadable too.

Silence remained over them for some time. Long enough for Cindy to come back with the drinks. She asked if anyone was hungry, wanted an appetizer. They all shook their heads and forced a smile her way.

“Just let me know if you change your minds.”

And then she was gone again. All eyes returned to Wesker. This time, he finally spoke.

“Jill and I believe we know the origin of the strange attacks that have occurred these past weeks.” He looked to her as if giving her a signal. She reluctantly began to speak up.

Was this it? Was this what Jill and Wesker had been hiding? That didn’t make sense. There had to be more there, but Chris forced himself to just sit and listen.

“It turns out that one of the victims had connections to a mansion just outside of town in the Arklay Mountains. Forensics finally came back on the paws of the first dog. There is evidence that it at least was in those mountains going by the specific composition of the dirt and items caught in the dog’s paws. It makes it likely that what is going down is in those mountains.”

“Why haven’t we heard of this yet?” asked Barry. “This is vital information! The team should have been informed.”

“And why exactly are we hearing about it here?” Brad hesitantly asked.

Wesker gave him a look that said he should already know why. However, as Brad wasn’t following, Wesker seemed ready to explain with a tired sigh already on his lips. Before he could though, parts of the puzzle clicked into place for Chris.

Everyone’s eyes moved to him as he spoke first. “Someone has been listening in.”

It explained at least the sudden, odd behavior from Jill. The pretending. But why did that only start two days ago? Why hadn’t the ruse been going on for like a week now? It suggested her and Wesker had only discovered all this incredibly recently, but it seemed like they’d covered too much ground for it to have realistically happened in such a short amount of time. And that comment about forensics? Shouldn’t the entire team have been informed? And going by the lab’s hours, shouldn’t Marini been the one to hear about it first and then pass it on to Wesker? Why wouldn’t he have informed Chris when he saw him earlier? Where were the files for that? The paperwork?

Somehow answering one question was just giving Chris more to juggle. However, at least for a moment he could feel proud as Wesker shot him another smile. “That is correct Chris. It would appear we have a mole.”

“Someone working with whoever has been causing these attacks to happen?” asked Barry. “But you haven’t even given us a name. An organization. How the hell do you know someone is listening in?”

“That is on a need to know basis at the moment,” Wesker smoothly replied. “Trust me, when Jill and I discover it, we will inform the team when it is necessary.”

Brad hesitantly held up his hand. “And Bravo Team?”

“Yeah,” Joseph quickly said. “What do they know?”

“Nothing yet. Jill and I will inform them before we collectively make our next move.”

“You mean both Alpha and Bravo? We’re just leaving the city all by itsself?” asked Barry.

“Raccoon City survived quite some time without STARS,” Wesker evenly replied. “The police here can handle a few hours, a day even, without us. Considering how the attacks have escalated and the unknown nature of how the infliction suffered by the attackers has spread, it will now be STARS’ priority to learn about and neutralize this possible threat.”

“Well what do we know?” Barry sighed. “We’re not going in blind. Are we?”

“Hardly. What Jill and I have discovered should prove quite fruitful.”

As Wesker continued to talk, Chris noted how Jill didn’t vocally add anything to the discussion. He briefly wondered why it seemed their captain was controlling the narrative despite how Jill had to have something of value to say. However, he couldn’t focus on that long, Wesker divulging too much information of importance in the following minutes.

Once the op was thoroughly explained, including Bravo’s part though they still needed to be informed, Joseph raised an important query. “Is it Chief Irons?”

“What the hell do you mean?” asked Barry.

“Is he the mole?”

“Listen, the guys a prick, but he’s dedicated his life to the force. How the hell would he be involved with this anyways?”

“Barry is right,” Wesker calmly said. “Irons would simply disprove of this operation because Jill and I do not have enough physical evidence for a warrant. He would refuse to sign off on this to prevent any backlash if things went down poorly. That is why I am choosing to go over his head. Nothing more.”

“Right,” Joseph quickly said.

Brad nodded in agreement. “That makes sense.”

“Now that we are on the same page,” said Wesker, “it is imperative you understand that you cannot speak to anyone on this. Jill and I will inform Bravo Team. We will make the approach tomorrow right at twelve hundred. Visibility in those mountains will be far more important than any benefit the cover of darkness could give us.”

But why though? Chris still had so many questions and Wesker was just adding to them. How had they gained all this information so quickly? What could be so dangerous that darkness would be more an enemy to them than a benefit? They had night vision tools if necessary. But before he could ask anything, Wesker’s radio went off.

He pulled it up. “Alpha Team responding. Understood.”

They had all heard the words. Another attack. This time a man running down one of the nearby streets before he had broken through a store window. Multiple injured. Immediate action needed.

“It would appear we are lucky in our choice of meeting. We’re nearby. Everyone, move out.”

Chris’ questions were pushed to the back of his mind as he quickly followed his captain and everyone out of the bar. The last attack had only happened a day ago. With Wesker’s information confirming these were connected and escalating, what the hell did that mean for tomorrow? Or the day after?

For the moment, Chris could only focus on his job and hope that they would take the man down before any more casualties occurred.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that RE8 trailer huh? I'm certainly interested in the story if nothing else, but it also made me feel inspired to write a little more so here you go! Another chapter, though like I said probably won't update this often. Just happened to have a free day. Hope you enjoy!

Jill didn’t hesitate. With several carefully aimed shots at the head, the body of the infected man soon hit the ground. The others didn’t have all the information. Neither did Jill, but she already understood better than the rest. There really was nothing that could be done to help the attackers, the infected, really just another victim of Umbrella and their fucked-up experiments.

The case of the first woman had been an anomaly.

According to Wesker, it was hypothesized that the infected could retain some level of neural processing and memory. The most obvious case of that was the animalistic need to feed. However, it was also believed that the infected individual might be more likely to follow paths they had been familiar with in life. They might try another door when one didn’t budge and would know to aim for windows rather than walls as points of entry. Having enough processing to recognize Wesker though, to speak, albeit briefly to Jill, had not been expected. Wesker had called it a shame that he’d been forced to kill that individual and Jill had rounded on him in the privacy of her apartment.

“You’re disgusting!”

“I didn’t infect her.”

“But you talk about her like she was nothing but another subject to fucking test!”

“By that point, she was. There was nothing any of us could have done to help her. Studying her might have given more insight into the virus, thus improving further testing and how it might be combatted. Though if it’s any consolation, I don’t regret my decision to save your life.”

It hadn’t been any consolation. Not even a fucking little.

Yet here Jill was, covering for Wesker, going along with his story. She wasn’t even contradicting him despite knowing when only lies were leaving his lips like in reference to Chief Irons.

She hated herself for doing it, but she reminded herself that it was for the betterment of the team. Wesker had convinced her that explaining exactly what was going on would only paint larger targets on the backs of her teammates. As long as they were kept in the dark, they had plausible deniability and would be in less danger than she was at Wesker’s side.

That was just fine with Jill.

When Wesker had first revealed himself, she had told him that she wanted to keep STARS completely out of this. That had been the deal. She didn’t want them to suffer. She didn’t want them hurt or to die. And that was exactly what she told Wesker again as she pulled him aside during the middle of the current incident.

Medics hurried left and right, grabbing the injured, checking pulses. The police held onlookers back along with a camera crew that had gotten there extremely quick. One man stood over the body of the attacker, examining it with a gloved hand. The rest of STARS was near the van. Jill could feel the eyes on the back of her neck from where she’d dragged Wesker out of earshot of everyone else.

“I told you Wesker, if you’re not willing to cooperate, I’m blowing this whole thing open.”

“And I told you that all that would accomplish is a black bag over your head and your body never being found. Your claims about Umbrella wouldn’t be believed.”

“You said we could keep STARS out of this!”

“Yes. The plan was that we would help each other. You would get the proof, and I would obtain what I would need from the labs to successfully detach myself from Umbrella. I remember, but the plan has changed.”

“You keep saying that, but what the hell does it mean?”

“I received a call when you and Chris briefly left the office. There’s been an outbreak at the lab under the mansion.”

Her eyes widened. She stepped closer to Wesker despite the fact that no one was near enough to hear them, especially over the yelling from officers and the commotion of the crowd. “An outbreak? Is this part of it? A run off from the mountains?”

“I don’t know if this one was intentional or not. Just as I cannot confirm how much the attacks over the last weeks have been intentional or not. Like I said before, I’m involved in research. Not active testing and application,” Wesker hissed. “You seem to believe I am Umbrella, but I am barely a singular strand of DNA in the massive organism that permeates Raccoon City. I communicate with those I need to. That I’m near. I am told what I need to be told. Nothing more, and you should be lucky I’ve been told as much as I have or else instead of saving people as you are so dead set on, we would only be killing ourselves. Do you understand me?”

Jill let out a slightly amused scoff.

Wesker pulled back in surprise. “What?”

“You almost sounded like my captain right then.”

A wiry smile spread across his face. “I still am, Jill.”

“Like hell you are,” she huffed. “But you are all that I have right now. So, what exactly about our deal has changed?”

“In a way, nothing. You’ll still get your information and I will get what I need when we send STARS in to put down the outbreak and self-destruct the facilities.”

“Are you sure you’re not just using this as an excuse to get rid of STARS? You did say Umbrella was making plans to get rid of this unit though you haven’t really explained why.”

“I don’t know why Umbrella has decided to unofficially disband STARS. As I’ve told you, many of our past ops have been done in Umbrella’s interest. However, if I was simply planning to get rid of everyone, then I wouldn’t have changed anything. I wouldn’t have told you about the outbreak, and I would have simply followed Umbrella’s next order.”

“You still would have done that if you thought it was in your best interest.”

“Perhaps,” admitted Wesker. “However, this is the path we find ourselves on. I need to make sure you will not fight me on what is said. I could tell you were upset during our meeting earlier. I can’t have that.”

“I just want to know why you haven’t fully explained the intention of this virus, these bio organic weapons as you called them. Since STARS is being brought in to put down that outbreak, they should know everything that you know.”

“And they shall. But I couldn’t give away too much all at once, now could I? At least dear old Chris is suspicious though he has not voiced it yet. If we want this to run smoothly, then team morale needs to be high, and that will not remain if they know of my involvement with Umbrella.”

“Oh, they’ll fucking know. They deserve to.”

“But I’d like to believe you are smart enough to know now is not the time for that.”

“No,” growled Jill. “It isn’t.” She looked towards a person being put into the back of another ambulance. “Are they infected now too? You said the primary way was through water and other shit but couldn’t it spread through bodily fluids like any other disease?”

“Possibly.”

“And if they are infected?”

“Then they will tragically die in route to the hospital.”

“Wait, those are Umbrella’s people masking themselves as paramedics?”

“Keep up Valentine. Recall what I have told you so far.”

Jill grimaced. Right… “They’re not pretending to be. They simply are Umbrella.”

“As are many things in this town. Just about every three out of four people work for Umbrella. And I would say about half of them know they do, though out of those, very few are aware of Umbrella’s interest in biological warfare.”

She let out a tired sigh. Even after Wesker had shocked her in her apartment by showing her Umbrella’s reach, it was still hard to believe just how much of the company had always surrounded her. Her eyes returned to the closing ambulance doors before looking back to Wesker. “Is there a way to help them at all—”

“No. If you are keeping to this naïve view of heroism, I would focus on preventing more from being caught in the crossfire. Not the ones already being taken away.”

“It’s not naïve. It’s about being a good person. It’s not my fault you’re too selfish to understand.”

“Perhaps. But that doesn’t matter right now.” Wesker looked around and said, “It seems we can return to the police station now.” He started to walk back towards the van. Jill reluctantly followed. Everyone stood up a little straight as Wesker approached and said, “I want you to get to work writing up the paperwork the moment we get back. Understood?”

“Yes sir!” They all quickly said.

Jill just mumbled it under her breath, getting back into the back of the van and sitting across from Chris. She continued to avoid his gaze, though this time it was less from guilt and more just because she was lost in her own head. Her life had gotten completely turned upside down after the past few days. Considering she’d had absolutely no time to herself to process it, even just being alone in her head was a small relief.

Once back at the station, everyone was mercifully quiet. It seemed that knowing they could be overheard by someone had quieted everyone pretty quickly. It at least made it easier to write up her report before Wesker came back in and gave everyone a quick speech.

“Assuming we are not called to action again, rest as much as you can tonight. Jill and I will contact Bravo Team in the early morning.”

With that, Wesker returned to his personal office and closed the door. Despite how the twenty-four hour shifts on site were still relatively new, it was out of character for Wesker to give them the go ahead to rest at their desks.

Joseph let out a low whistle. “Fuck. This is some serious shit then.”

“Seems like it,” sighed Barry.

“I just don’t follow one thing,” Brad suddenly said. All eyes turned to him. “Did you or did you not screw the captain Jill?”

Everyone groaned and Jill flicked him off, though the gesture was more friendly in nature than being an actually mean motion.

“Is that a yes…”

“It’s a good thing you’re not a fucking detective because you would suck at it,” snorted Joseph.

Everyone laughed, for a moment allowing the tense situation to fall away.

“Well I’m hungry,” Brad eventually sighed. “I’m going to grab something to eat.”

“I’ll join you,” Joseph said.

They both left as Barry added, “I’m going to call the wife and kids.”

“Tell Kathy and them I say hi,” Chris said.

“Always do. I’ll be right back.”

With the office now empty and the door to Wesker’s office being closed, Jill wasn’t surprised that Chris turned to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

“I wish you could have just told me point blank whenever all this started. I would have helped you.”

God, Jill wished she’d told him too. She wanted him to know, but she didn’t want him in any more danger than was necessary. Before she could explain that though, Chris’ next words broke her heart.

“But I trust you and the captain. If you think we should be kept in the dark a little longer, I’ll follow you both.”

Jill wanted to tell Chris the full truth so badly, but god fucking damn it, Wesker was right. The only one with a hotter head than her was Chris. If he knew about Wesker’s involvement in all this? It would crush him. It would create that rift Wesker was trying to avoid. Jill hated to admit the man was right, but for now, it was important they keep it on a need to know basis.

All Jill could do was put her hand over Chris’ and force a smile right back. “I’ll tell you everything when I can. I will, promise.”

“I know you will. I trust you with my life. You and Wesker.”

Jesus, Jill fucking hated this. But she kept the smile on her face and at least as the night waned on like the calm before the storm. The general police were able to handle all incidents without the involvement of STARS and it allowed everyone some added rest. Jill got a few moments of shut-eye here and there, but soon she and Wesker would be calling up Bravo Team and telling them the same things they had explained to the rest. Part of Jill couldn’t wait for all of this to be over. She was ready to tell them, see the mansion for herself, and put an end to the god damn experiments.

However, a small, nagging part of her told her this wouldn’t finish anything.

It would just be the beginning.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Unsurprisingly, Bravo Team was just as in shock and skeptical as Alpha Team had been, perhaps even more so.

Captain Marini was looking at Wesker carefully. Though he hadn’t voiced it, his suspicions had possibly been raised. However, if it meant doing their job correctly and efficiently, he seemed willing to stay quiet for now. Considering Wesker was also framing the op as a way to save lives before they were ever put in danger, everyone was very willing to follow that. It made Jill a little sick, knowing it wasn’t Wesker’s true motive. It would do for now though.

“So we go to the office, suit up and then…what?” asked Richard.

“Are we taking the trucks?” Kenneth quickly asked.

“The helicopters will be faster,” Wesker evenly replied.

“But will there be space to land up there?” asked Marini.

“Yes,” Jill said. “There are several spaces where a helicopter could land from satellite imaging. It’s possible they’ve been using those same spaces to transport people and supplies up there via helicopter. Along with the nearby rail system that cuts through the mountains.”

That was exactly what Umbrella had been doing, but Jill simply phrased it like she wasn’t positive.

“It’s a lot of work you’ve accomplished,” Marini carefully said. “In such a short amount of time?”

“Only seems that way because we’re telling you last minute,” Jill replied.

“Right, the mole,” murmured Forest. “How exactly did you learn about them?”

“I was given a warning to look no further,” lied Wesker. “We are still unsure of what individuals and/or entity they represent.”

Jill stomached the bile rising in her throat. “And I was sent proof that they’ve been bugging parts of the office. Another warning.” She hated fucking lying, but they needed to stop this before it became a full-fledged outbreak and they needed Wesker to help guide them, though obviously no one knew that yet. If they knew the truth, no way in hell would they want to listen to him, much less follow him.

“Then it makes sense meeting here,” sighed Marini. “Will Alpha Team be ready?”

“I allowed them to rest as much as they could through the night. Thankfully, besides the incident early on, we were not called out.”

“Good. If even ten of those infected things are up there, we’ll have our work cut out for us.”

Wesker nodded in agreement. “We’ll split into smaller groups than just staying as Alpha and Bravo upon landing. However, I expect you to stick close to your teammates and never venture on your own. We don’t know what’s out there.”

Jill resisted the urge to scowl at another fucking lie.

“Then if that’s it, we’ll all meet you at the station.”

Wesker nodded in agreement. “We’ll see you there.”

They all left, most going in their respective cars though Wesker had driven Jill. As she got into his car, she said, “When will you explain exactly what we’re fighting? Exactly what they should expect?”

“Not long after we arrive. A simple explanation of found documents over the radio will do. Even if they don’t believe it, they won’t be able to refute it.”

“I hope you know that I’m going to be partnered up with you. If you try anything at all, I’ll chain you to a pole and leave you for those things to find.”

“Understood. We will go to retrieve the embryos first.”

“Hey! What about—”

“The self-destruction sequence will need to be activated in the underground labs anyways. We will be able to accomplish your goal and mine simultaneously.”

Jill relaxed a little at that. As Wesker continued to drive to the station, she asked, “If you didn’t have to worry about me, would you still destroy the mansion?”

“If it looked like Umbrella was going to be unable to contain it, then yes.”

“For some selfish reason, I’m sure.”

“Would I do it to simply save Raccoon City? No. But it is undeniable that once bio organic weapons are truly out there, there will be no taking them back. Our world will be irrevocably changed,” Wesker calmly replied. “Technically, it has already changed with their mere existence, but if a more controlled approach to their introduction can be done, then that is the safer option. For myself, yes, but also for everyone.”

Jill didn’t respond. She took the information with a grain of salt, but it was a better answer than what she’d expected. Not great. She still fucking hated him for the lies. But she was slowly realizing that the man she had respected was still there. Wesker hadn’t worn a complete shroud. He had been honest in some sense of the word, though honestly that just made this worse.

They didn’t speak for the rest of the ride.

At the office, they went to the riot room and Wesker spoke to the clerk.

Chief Irons wasn’t in at the moment and the woman quickly said, “What should I tell him if he asks about the missing equipment?”

“It isn’t missing. I’ve signed off on it,” Wesker smoothly replied as he finished off his signature with a flourish.

“I-I mean yes but um…is he aware of this operation—”

“He is aware of exactly what he needs to be aware of.” Wesker looked to the rest of the team as they finished situating the equipment.

Barry let out a tired sigh. “I feel like I’m going into war.”

“Trust us,” sighed Jill. “It’s necessary.” She looked down at herself, double checking the gear on her person. She had her standard pistol. A backup, smaller one in her boot. Bullet proof vest. A little added padding to protect her arms and shins. Her lockpicking kit. Flash grenades. A knife. A shotgun across her back. Plenty of ammo.

Even then, she didn’t feel completely ready.

Wesker led the way out of the main police station and to the helicopter pad. Thankfully, STARS had two all to themselves. They had every right to take them, though there would of course be plenty of questions from Irons when they got back.

Before liftoff, Wesker finally gave Edward and Brad the coordinates they would be landing at. He also added, “Considering our past encounters, I would suggest aiming for the head as best as you can if we encounter anything upon arrival. It seems to be an effective way to take the threats down.”

Apparently fire also could do the job. Wesker had told Jill that, but it seemed that was another fact that would remain secret a little longer.

Alpha lifted off first. Bravo followed about fifteen minutes later. Once landed, they would have coordinates to meet at before proceeding to find and enter the two buildings out in the forest. One would be the mansion. The other held the other old training ground and a second, smaller lab.

At this point, Jill was unsure of how much the outbreak had destroyed of the places. Would they encounter lab technicians? Scientists hiding from the horror that they had caused? What would Jill do if she came into contact with them? What would Wesker do?

Would he kill them? If left alive, his plans to leave Umbrella could get out. Jill didn’t know how important that might be. Would he try to leave the moment their work was done? Disappear from STARS and Umbrella and avoid answering to the crimes he’d committed? Or was his exit strategy a longer one? He hadn’t said yet.

The flight over was a tense one.

Wesker reiterated some information from before along with repeating some new information about what they might expect. At least if the level of equipment they’d been carrying hadn’t given away, now they truly understood how serious this was. STARS answered the tough calls the police couldn’t handle. They knew the risk they were taking each time but this one? This one had everyone wondering if they would come back.

Brad landed the helicopter with little issue.

Despite being the middle of the day and summer, the trees and brush around them looked brown and dead. Almost like it was around fall instead. Jill knew the direction of the two facilities. However, she stayed silent and stuck close to Wesker as he quickly said, “Obtain what evidence you can. Help any survivors if they are still alive. But the objective is to destroy the facilities before this thing can spread. Understood?”

A quick chorus of, “Yes sir,” passed amongst Alpha Team. They all followed Wesker deeper into the forest and towards where they would meet Bravo. The tree line made it difficult to see the other helicopter approaching, but Jill knew they weren’t far behind. She listened and—

Her hair stood on end.

The woods were supposed to have noise, but she heard nothing. Just the bare whisper of wind through dying leaves could be heard as their boots crunched through the forest floor. The wind picked up a little. A small brush swept across the back of her neck. Suddenly the silence turned to a sound that exponentially grew closer and closer in only a manner of seconds—

Wesker fired first as they all momentarily scattered. “Chris, move!”

Chris just barely managed to escape the jaws of one of those fucking dogs as Wesker fired two bullets into it. Barry was closest and quickly slammed the heal of his boot into the dog’s skull as Chris recovered.

“Continue towards the coordinates,” ordered Wesker and everyone’s pace doubled. Another dog could be heard approaching.

“Somewhere on the left,” Brad desperately huffed.

Joseph paused to fire at the sudden barking dog. It was difficult to say if it was dead or temporarily down as they all continued swiftly through the forest. They broke through the trees and came across an old fountain. The water was still and murky in its bottom. The mansion was several hundred feet away to their right, hidden behind the forest.

“Backs to each other,” commanded Wesker as his face moved left and right, scanning the area.

Jill did the same. Her ears strained for any similar sounds of dogs or inhuman movement. After a moment though, something was heard up ahead of her. It sounded like people, but was it their people? Wesker had said Umbrella hadn’t decided to take action against the mansion and outbreak. But what if he’d lied? What if Umbrella was on their way now and this had all been a convoluted trap—

Captain Marini walked out of the woods, gun at the ready as his men followed.

“We heard gunshots.”

“Two dogs,” Wesker explained. “Did you come into contact with anything?”

“No. How should we move now?”

“Captain Marini, I want Joseph and Kenneth with you. Chris, Rebecca, Brad, you’ll be stick together. Both your groups will head to the second building about six hundred meters northwest of here. Barry, you, Richard, and Edward will come with myself, Jill, and Forest to the mansion, about two hundred meters east of here,” Wesker said with a gesture. “Remember, the primary objective is to destroy the facilities and all infected. Conserve ammo where possible and do not leave the sides of your teammates. Understood?”

“Yes sir,” came the chorus.

“Good. We meet back at the helicopters. Hurry.”

They all split up, six going one way and six going the other way. Jill glanced back to Chris who tried to flash her a comforting smile. She had faith that he would come back, but god damn it, she couldn’t help the small tinge of fear that still filled her.

Now it was time to focus on the mission though. Chris had his and she had hers.

They moved through the forest and reached the mansion not long after. They checked their corners. Thankfully no more dogs came and Wesker tried the door. “Jill?”

She pulled out her lockpicking set and quickly went to work. The doors were finally pushed open and all guns stayed drawn, everyone looking around the foyer, up the stairs, the balcony on the second floor.

“Got one,” Barry said as his eyes and gun lined up with one of those things.

It was on the second floor. It looked like most of the people they’d come into contact with though this one seemed far more recent. There was still some color to the pupils, making them almost look alive. However, as the things’ mouth opened, no words came out. A desperate, hungered moan escaped and the thing swiftly began to shuffle down the stairs.

Barry turned and managed to fire one clean shot through the head.

Everyone tensed, but nothing immediately came running, living or dead.

“Barry, have your team make a sweep of this floor. If you find nothing, continue to the second,” ordered Wesker. “Forest, I want you with them.”

“Oh! Yes sir,” Forest quickly said. However, it was clear from the other’s expressions that they were confused as to why Wesker would make the sudden change.

“Jill and I will see if that hall leads anywhere. If we don’t find anything, we’ll meet back up with you.”

“Understood sir,” Barry replied. It was clear he was biting back a retort, not thinking it wise that Jill and Wesker lose a man to their group. He held his tongue though and soon their group split again.

Barry first ordered everyone to look around and see which doors were locked and which weren’t. Jill and Wesker went around the grand staircase, finding another set of stairs and heading down.

“I’d wondered what you would do with Forest,” murmured Jill.

“Did you think I would kill him?”

“The thought had crossed my mind.”

“I think you should worry about us far more. At least with Barry, Richard, Edward, and Forest, they have a true fighting chance as they explore the mansion. It’s doubtful the infected have completely spread up there. We, on the other hand, are going where it began.”

“Worth it if it means I know for a fact that some of them will be safe,” growled Jill.

They stopped at a wrought iron gate. Jill automatically reached for her lockpicking kit, but Wesker reached into a pouch and pulled out a key instead. She shook her head.

“Yeah, I imagine Forest would have had a lot of damn questions if he’d seen that.”

“Exactly.” Wesker unlocked the gates and pushed them open, stairs now leading farther and farther down. “Are you ready?”

For a split second, it almost sounded like concern in his voice. Jill ignored it though and simply pushed past him. “Let’s get this over with.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter! Thanks for sticking around and I'm enjoying doing these shorter chapters, makes it easier to get them out quicker. Also made a quick outline of the story and how I wanted to split everything up so the estimated amount of chapters is 32. That could obviously change, a little more or a little less, but I hope you enjoy and thank you to anyone who reads this, leaves a kudo, and/or comments!

Chris hurried through the forest. They came into contact with more dogs, each taking multiple bullets to even slow them down, and their erratic movements making a clean shot to the head almost impossible with the first bullet. Eventually, the abandoned building showed through the tree lines. Captain Marini led the way inside, pausing to check the corners and making sure the first room was clear. However, as the last man walked through the doors, they suddenly shut and a locking mechanism could be heard crunching to a halt.

“Ah shit,” whispered Brad.

Joseph quickly tried looking over the mechanism.

“Anything?” asked Marini.

“It’s some kind of last-minute defense mechanism I think. It’ll only open back up once the power’s on. We should try to find the building’s main breakers, see if it’s as simple as flipping those or if we have more work cut out for us.”

“Well, we knew we would have to go deeper in order to uncover evidence and destroy this facility,” Marini said. “Now include looking for alternative exit strategies to your mission. For now though, we’ll stick together.”

“Yes sir.”

They slowly walked around. Chris kept his gun close as his eyes roamed over the room they were currently in. There was equipment and closed boxes. A layer of dust was over everything, but it wasn’t exactly dilapidated. “This place hasn’t been abandoned for long,” murmured Chris.

“I agree,” Captain Marini replied. “Check the doors.”

There were five options. Kenneth opened one door, showing nothing more than a side room meant for storage. He left the door open as he walked around, looking at what was in there. Chris gestured to Rebecca to follow him as he approached a set of double doors. They got on either side and pushed them open to reveal a long, concrete hallway. More doors lined the walls from what Chris could see, though it was incredibly dark. The only light came from the windows and the daylight outside. He tried a nearby light switch, but unsurprisingly nothing happened. Joseph was right. They would have to turn the power on before they could do much of anything—

“Oh fuck!”

Chris spun around as Brad’s gun went off and his back hit the ground. One of the dead desperately tried to rip into Brad’s neck as he just barely held it off him. Joseph was nearest and quickly kicked the thing in its side. It rolled off Brad and sat back up in an inhuman, fluid motion. Joseph got one shot into the thing’s chest, right near the heart. Another bullet skimmed the side of its head and it went down. However, it immediately started to push itself off the floor again. Brad scrambled for his fallen firearm just as more and more started to pile out of the door he’d just opened.

“This way!” yelled Chris as he and Rebecca pushed the doors open wider.

Marini and Kenneth ran over as Joseph helped Brad up and they followed. With everyone in the hall, Chris and Rebecca slammed the doors shut.

“Quick, we need something to block it!” Kenneth cried.

Brad and Joseph leaned up against the doors with Rebecca and Chris as the things piled on top of each other, their moans deafening as they tried to push the doors open. Captain Marini pulled out his flashlight and quickly scanned the area before yelling, “Kenneth, help me with this!”

“Hurry captain! We can’t keep holding them!” cried Rebecca. Just then, a dog could be heard barking on the other side as it threw its whole body into the door. They all jolted forward, Rebecca the most as her back completely left the door. She quickly threw her weight into it again as best as she could, only this time arms were now wedging themselves in between the doors.

“Move real quick!” Kenneth yelled at them. He shoved a metal chair into the bar handles.

The things rammed against the door again. Chris winced. “That’s still not going to hold them!”

“Hold on!” yelled Marini. Kenneth rushed back to his side. The captain had pushed a thick, metal desk out of a side room. As they drew closer, Joseph left the door to help them. They started to move faster but Chris, Brad, and Rebecca were having an even harder time holding the forces back.

One of the things managed to force most of its upper body through the door. It went under the chair and grabbed a piece of Rebecca’s shirt not covered by her protective vest. Chris leaned just enough forward that he got a good angle and then slammed his body against the door several times before the thing started to fall back. He slammed the door twice more and blood spurted out as the arm sickeningly crunched and bone broke. The doors slammed shut again and Kenneth and Marini finally pushed the metal desk against the doors and under the chair as part of a barricade. Rebecca quickly pulled the arm off her, the grip still managing to cling to her clothes despite being detached from the body.

Chris quickly backed up with the simple barricade in place. He spotted the one-armed thing, still pushing against the door and clearly not caring as old, dark red blood continued to drip from the wound.

“I realize no one has said it yet,” gasped Brad, “but those things are seriously zom—”

“Don’t you dare say the ‘z’ word,” Joseph cursed. “Fuck, this isn’t fucking happening.”

“Did you not pay attention to what Captain Wesker said?” accused Rebecca.

“I did! Just…”

“Zombies are a whole other thing,” muttered Kenneth.

“Stop saying the ‘z’ word! Fuck, what do we do now?”

“We keep going,” Captain Marini replied. “We’ll need to find another way out anyways and seeing that has only proven why we need to make sure this place burns. Let’s move some more objects to block them. Then we need to figure out how to get the power back on.”

Everyone nodded in understanding. Those with flashlights pulled them out, holding them under their guns. Chris took his lighter out and flicked it on, still holding his pistol with his right hand. Only a little natural lighting was getting through the double doors they’d come through. The rest was pure darkness except for the streams of light that the flashlights provided and the soft glow of the flame.

They took a few moments to search the nearby rooms, finding what they could to throw back in front of the door. Brad jumped as their radios crackled to life.

“This is Captain Wesker. STARS, respond. Over.”

“Enrico Marini,” said Bravo Team’s captain. “All made it to the disused training facility. Trapped, but safe for now.”

“Barry Burton. All members safe. Continuing to secure and search the upper levels of the mansion. Go ahead.”

Hearing Wesker and Barry made Chris’ heart beat a little more evenly. At least everyone was safe for now.

“We’ve begun moving into what is believed to be the underground lab for the mansion. The logo of Umbrella has been seen on several pieces,” came Wesker’s voice.

“The pharmaceutical company?” murmured Rebecca. “Are they really the ones behind this?”

“Be warry of leaches,” continued Wesker. “Some of the documentation has discussed their usage in transmitting what has been named the T-virus on paper.”

“Affirmative,” Marini replied.

Barry came back with, “Do we need to meet up?”

“No, continue securing the upper floors. Make contact if anything changes or when you manage to make it to the underground labs. Over and out.”

It seemed that would be it for now. Chis wished he could talk to Jill, but now was not the time to use their radios for private discussions. He just trusted that she and Wesker would watch each other’s backs.

“You heard Captain Wesker. Let’s move people. Chris, I want you watching our back.”

“Yes sir.” Chris moved back, waiting for the others to get in front of him before he started walking. He regularly looked around, occasionally walking backwards to make sure nothing came out at them.

There wasn’t much in evidence for them to take, but they did find an elevator. They forced the doors open. It showed them that it would require a keycard, but it was their best bet as to how to get the underground facilities. Now they just needed to find a way to start the power, find the keycard, and then they could go.

The search continued, their pace stuck between wanting to hurry out of the dark but not wanting to alert any group of the dead like Brad had done before. For a while, it seemed like they might have already me the worst of it, but then one zombie lumbered around a corner, illuminated by a flashlight. Then another. And another—

“Stick close and run!” yelled Marini.

If they tried to take out every single one, they would just waste their bullets. It quickly became more about slowing them down or blocking them off than killing every single one. The group found a staircase and moved down into a basement like area. Joseph took the lead, figuring out as best he could where the maintenance like area could be as they searched for the breakers and electrical equipment.

They thought they had a second to breath, only for one dead man in a security outfit to round the corner. Despite this all having happened very quickly according to Wesker, there already seemed to be no one left alive. Chris fired as the security officer came towards him. He managed a lucky shot and the head exploded, dropping the guy for good. Chris rushed over and started to search the body.

“What the hell are you doing?” asked Brad. “We should keep moving before more are alerted.”

“If he’s security then he should have-yes!” Chris pulled a keycard out, quickly undoing it from the guy’s belt. He looked it over and just from a quick examination, it seemed like it work in the elevator. He sure as hell hoped it would.

“Good work Chris,” said Marini. “Let’s hurry. Joseph?”

“This way,” he said, and they quickly continued in the maze of dark halls.

It was becoming difficult to tell how long they’d been inside the building. With no natural light giving a sign, it felt like almost twenty-four hours had passed them by, though Chris knew that was impossible. Still, they were already getting low on ammo. Each time Chris reloaded a clip his heart leapt into his throat. Were the others having similar difficulties? If it kept up like this, they definitely were going to run out of bullets, even with their attempts to run rather than stay and fight every zombie they came into contact with. And then—

“In here!”

They all followed Joseph and Chris breathed a sigh of relief as they made a lucky break. At least it seemed that way until Joseph started flipping the switches and nothing happened.

“Shit! Just give me a second.”

“We may not have that,” Kenneth replied as a low moaning sound started to come from outside the room.

“Well make time damn it! Ok, that’s not the issue. Then um…huh…”

Chris held his gun out in front of him along side Rebecca and Brad. The dead started coming. Chris pulled his knife out as well, trying to push them back with slashes and cuts before lining up a shot. More started coming through. Soon they weren’t going to be able to push through and leave if they kept gathering like this.

“We’ve run out of time!” yelled Marini. “We’ll make our exit that way!”

“Just one more second-I got it!”

“Then go! Now!”

Captain Marini and Chris protected their teams’ back, firing into the on coming hoard as the lights flickered on and engines could be heard roaring to life.

“Which way was the elevator!” Brad cried out as they got out of the room only to be met with more of the dead. Everything looked so different with the lights on. Where—

“This way! I remember,” Rebecca said. “We came through there!”

“Hurry!”

Their feet pounded against the ground. As they ran, Chris noted the leech like creatures in the walls and cracks of everything. Had they always been there? Hidden in the dark? He wasn’t sure. For the moment, he just focused on staying alive as they somehow made it back up and towards the elevator. The doors had automatically shut again with the power coming back on. Joseph hit the button and Chris quickly got the key card out.

One zombie that had stuck close to them tried to grab Rebecca, but Kenneth successfully shot it down. God Chris hoped this worked. He slid the card and a light turned green as they all clambered in. The doors closed and without having to press a button, the elevator automatically started to head downwards.

For a few minutes, they all had a chance to catch their breath. The elevator ride lasted a long time. Longer than what felt right. How deep were they going? Then the doors suddenly opened, and the guns were held out in front of them again. They waited with bated breath, but nothing jumped out. They walked out of the elevator. It looked like some kind of underground platform.

“Alright, it looks like this is where we’ll split up,” Marini said as he looked at how the tunnel went left and right into the dark. He pulled his radio close to his mouth. “Come in Wesker. This is Marini. Over.”

They waited, but only static came back. At least Chris could hear the signal come through on his own radio.

“We must be too far underground. Keep trying to contact the others, but also stay in contact with me as you go Chris. If either of us need backup, at least we can rely on each other.”

“Yes sir,” Chris said.

“Be careful. All of you,” Captain Marini said. “If nothing else, we’ll see you on the outside.”

Chris, Brad, and Rebecca nodded before turning in the direction they were going to go. It was difficult to say if they would find what they were looking for, it would turn out to be a wasted effort and they would have to double back to meet Marini, or they would find something else entirely. For the moment though, Chris just followed Marini’s order and led his small team down the tunnel. He looked up onto the high, tunnel wall upon seeing a red and white symbol painted there.

“Shit, Wesker wasn’t lying. This really is all Umbrella’s,” murmured Chris.

“But why? How does creating these things benefit a company?” Rebecca asked.

“Or anyone!” Brad quickly added.

“No idea. Hopefully we’ll find out along the way. Stay close. It seems a lot quieter down here, but it was quiet when we first entered the above ground building. No telling what the hell is hiding down here in a tunnel this big.”

Rebecca and Brad nodded. They stayed close to Chris’ left and right as they continued to walk farther and farther away from Marini and the others.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And next chapter we'll finally get to see what Jill and Wesker have been up to! I'm planning for chapter 10 to be the last chapter involving RE1, then the next ten chapters or so to take place in the aftermath/events leading up to RE2/3. Anyways, hope you enjoy as always and thanks for reading and commenting <3

While moving beneath the earth, things had gone from bad to apocalyptic.

It started with Chris, Rebecca, and Brad searching another building connected to the long tunnel. Was it an extension of the training facility? Something different? It seemed more like a factory, though it was difficult to tell without having a full blueprint or understanding of every item’s use. However, while exploring another room, dogs had burst through the doors, successfully cornering Rebecca and Chris. They managed to climb up on some boxes as Brad pulled out his shotgun and blasted them from the other side. Chris and Rebecca tried to help from their position, trying to kill as many of the beasts as they could when something new suddenly came.

It burst through a once locked door, ripping the metal off its hinges. It was something different and horrifying and not like any of the dogs or zombies they’d seen so far.

Brad had fired into the things face—

And it had kept walking.

That was what had led to now. To Chris and Rebecca screaming towards Brad before his wide, scared eyes said the unspoken words that ripped through Chris’ heart.

_I’m so fucking sorry._

And Brad had left them. The door they’d originally come through slammed shut. The attention of the monsters was no longer divided, and they all turned to Chris and Rebecca.

No way did they have enough bullets. They would have to figure out a way to run for it instead.

They got down from their perch, got around the remaining dogs and the thing as it swiped at them and moved far too fast for a creature of its size. They ran through the door the creature had come from and down the hall. They kept running and running, all the way until some caved in ceiling trapped them in a corner. Their only choices were facing the creature or trying to get into an elevator. Rebecca fired at the creature, trying to slow it down as Chris forced the jammed elevator doors open.

But the elevator wasn’t even there. It was far below them in the darkened shaft. Chris looked to the cables.

“Hurry!” he yelled to Rebecca. She got the message quick. After holstering her gun, she jumped first to the cable and started to slide down.

Chris fired one last shot before doing the same. The cable’s ripped apart his gloves, burned his hands bloody as he and Rebecca landed on the top of the elevator with a thud that shook the whole thing. The elevator was stuck between floors and Chris quickly bent down to try and push the doors open a little farther. His hands shook, leaving bloody prints as he went.

Suddenly, the monster jumped from above.

It landed on the elevator and the whole thing shook. One cable snapped and it all tilted left. Chris scrambled, he and Rebecca almost falling over before they got back to their feet. He tried to tell Rebecca to just get through the gap and get out when the monster swiped at him, its large, clawed arm taking Chris down in one hit. The air left his lungs as he tried to recover. Rebecca got in front of him, unloading her entire clip into the creature. It stunned him for just a second and Rebecca quickly stepped back, grabbing Chris’ shoulder and pulling him with her.

He managed to push himself slightly up and across the top of the elevator.

“Go! That’s an order!”

Rebecca finally let go of him. She squeezed through the opening and hopped down to the floor. Chris pushed himself closer, getting his head and one arm through the opening. He tried to brace himself against the outer elevator doors, pushing himself through as the creature started to come for them again.

A dangerous idea suddenly entered Chris' mind, but he had to risk it. No way could this fucking thing be left alive!

Rebecca had grabbed the arm that was forced through the opening. She continued to try and pull Chris through, but he stopped moving and unholstered his gun again. He didn’t aim for the creature though. He aimed for the pieces connecting the remaining cables in place. Bullets ricocheted off the parts, but they were all already lose and broken from the creature dropping down. If he just continued a little more, weakened one—

His clip suddenly ran out and in his awkward position, he couldn't easily reload.

“Here!” yelled Rebecca as she realized what he was trying to accomplish. She put a new clip into her gun and stood on the tips of her boots to try and get it to Chris. He dropped his gun and reached over to grab hers. He fired one, two, three, four, five more times—

One cable snapped and with the pressure of the weight incredibly disproportionate now, the rest of them immediately snapped and the elevator went down. But that meant nothing was supporting Chris either. His body fell, the part that was partially through the elevator slamming into the floor with enough force to make him loosen his grip and just fall straight down as his lower body hung loosely. Rebecca grabbed him at the last second though, bracing her feet on either side of the elevator doors. It gave Chris just enough time to brace the one arm that was already through along with pulling his other arm over so that he could drop Rebecca’s gun and push himself through on his side.

With Rebecca pulling and holding onto his shoulder, he managed to make it. When she finally let go and dropped to the ground in exhaustion, bloody handprints were left on Chris’ clothes, her hands equally burned and bloodied from the cables.

Chris carefully pushed himself up and pulled his feet through which had still been hanging into the shaft. He looked down. Rebecca stood up behind him and looked over his shoulder. A fire had started below them, allowing them some visibility. The elevator lay in a twisted mess and Chris could just barely glimpse the creature’s arm underneath it all.

“At least we know it’s dead,” whispered Rebecca.

Still, even with those words, they both continued to watch and wait just in case. But no, the thing wasn’t moving anymore.

Chris let out a tired sigh, only to immediately regret it. Rebecca dropped by his side and put a hand on him. “You’ve got a broken rib. Maybe two.”

“Yeah, I can fucking feel it,” Chris said through gritted teeth. They both looked around, but at least for now, no more zombies, dogs, or whatever the fuck that thing was, were near. “We need to find a place to recuperate. Lay low.”

Rebecca nodded in agreement, putting an arm around Chris and supporting him as best she could. They walked near the wall so Chris could split his weight between leaning against that and Rebecca. A bloody trail was left by his hands, one long, red gleaming streak against the wall.

They tried looking through several doors, but rather than stopping right away, they realized where they had landed.

It was the lab. It was what they’d been looking for. It had to be! Rather than resting then and there, Chris forced himself to push past the pain and keep moving as they looked for the space that Wesker had described to them. He and Rebecca looked for key words, the occasional sign on a wall. They moved left and right, right and left, blood continuing to stain the walls as Chris and Rebecca’s hands were unable to properly scab due to the continued movement and extent of the damage.

There was of the course the worry that they may not find the place. Or maybe they would come across another creature.

But after searching a while longer, Rebecca remembered something the captain had said and changed the direction of their slow walk. They pushed through some doors and—

“We fucking made it,” gasped Chris, each word causing a sharp feeing of pain to shoot through him.

Rebecca helped him into a chair before pulling her radio close. “This is Rebecca Chambers. Come in.”

She waited for a few seconds, but only static was heard. She repeated herself.

“This is Rebecca Chambers. We’ve made it to the place described by Captain Wesker. If anyone is out there, please respond. Over.”

She waited a little longer…

“Please—”

“It’s no good,” Chris whispered, putting a hand on her. “They’re either too far away or there’s just too much earth and concrete between us and them. We’ve still got a job to do. Let’s do it.”

In that moment, Chris was reminded of just how young she was. Yet despite it all, she put on a tough face and nodded. “Yes sir. You stay put just a little longer. I’ll look around.”

Chris nodded, leaning back and trying to breath while causing as little pain as possible. Rebecca spoke as she walked around and told him about what she was finding. There was one body with them, though it looked like it hadn’t been affected by the T-virus. Instead, the man had shot himself in the head. A note explained how he’d thought of starting the self-destruct sequence, but hadn’t been able to bring himself to destroy the ‘beautiful’ things he’d helped create. He hadn’t wanted to die by them either though, leading to taking the easy way out. It sickened Chris just hearing it, but a key was found on the body that could help them at least.

He learned that the thing that had attacked them was a pure organism concocted from the T-virus too, not an infected person or animal, but a completely lab grown thing. There was no telling how many more of those things or similar monstrosities were hiding under there. Chris would make sure the entire place burned if it was the last thing he did.

“Ah!”

He jolted up at Rebecca’s sudden scream. It fucking hurt, but he pushed himself up and moved over to where she was standing in front of several screens. They showed images of another lab. Chris’ eyes first found what had made her cry out. His mouth dropped.

“Enrico…”

There he lay on the ground. The quality wasn’t great, but Chris could already tell he was dead, a bloody hole in his chest and his body not moving. Chris’ eyes moved to another screen and—

No.

Oh god no.

He immediately pulled his radio and spoke into it. “Captain Wesker, Jill Valentine, respond.” However, the two images of his comrades didn’t respond and all he heard was more static. Still he pulled it up again, part of him not wanting to believe his eyes. “Jill!” He waited only a little longer and— “Albert!”

Chris’s heart was going to beat out of his fucking chest. He could barely breath.

Because there stood his captain and his best fucking friend, just off to the side of Captain Marini’s corpse. They weren’t even looking at him though. They were looking at the people in front of them. An older man in a uniform with Umbrella’s symbol on his arm stood in front of them. Strange looking guards stood behind him and a disheveled scientist too. They were talking. Talking calmly like Jill and Wesker didn’t see them as a threat. Like they weren’t looking at the people that were involved in starting all this shit.

Chris watched as Wesker took the scientist’s hand. He put his left hand on the man’s shoulder, a slight show of warmth. A show that he fucking knew him as they calmly exchanged words!

And Jill?

Chris’ eyes returned to her. He watched as she saluted Umbrella’s man. It looked like he laughed, said something to Wesker, and then put an arm on Jill’s shoulder before turning to go. His back was to Wesker and Jill and yet—

They didn’t fire.

They didn’t do anything.

This wasn’t happening.

This wasn’t fucking happening.

His eyes had to be betraying him.

He had to be wrong!

“They’re working for Umbrella?”

Rebecca was the one who said it. The words shot through Chris’ heart. He heavily leaned against the console.

“T-That’s how they knew everything,” whispered Rebecca, her voice turning from shock to anger. “They hadn’t been researching information. They hadn’t been threatened. They…they knew! Knew all along a-and they-they must have used us. Used STARS to do the dirty work. T-To destroy this place!”

Chris’ eyes returned to the screens. He watched as Jill and Wesker briefly spoke before following Umbrella’s people out, not a single glance spared for Bravo Team’s captain.

“It doesn’t matter,” whispered Chris.

“What?”

“Doesn’t matter if this was their whole plan. We’re still destroying this fucking place. Gather as much evidence as you can and then we’re starting this fucking self-destruct sequence.”

Rebecca nodded and the two quickly went to work.

Every move hurt Chris, but he kept going. These things Umbrella had created would never see the light of day. He would avenge Enrico, and as for Jill and Wesker? His heart still hurt just thinking about it. His eyes burned. But he would get the fucking truth from them. His hands momentarily clenched into fists at the very thought.

As best as they could, Rebecca and Chris gathered what evidence they could find. Chris wished Brad was still with them though as almost all the files on the computers kept them locked out. Maybe Brad could have broken into them, but they couldn’t waste time going back and trying to find Brad first. If even a single creature got out, it could spell disaster and death for so many. They had to destroy this place first and foremost.

Eventually, they figured out how.

The key from the scientist was the last piece needed and Rebecca turned it in its designated lock. Bulletproof glass moved and opened off a panel. Chris double checked the information they’d found. He flipped two levers and then pressed the button. Red lights started to flash. A robotic girl’s voice sounded. “T-minus ten minutes until destruction. All employees are asked to evacuate. T-minus ten minutes—”

“Let’s hurry.” Rebecca put her arm under Chris and helped him limp out of the room. Now where to go though?

It was difficult to say how far under ground they were. There was no telling how to get to the surface, but maybe getting back down to the tunnel would give them a way out.

They tried their best to figure out a new route down when their radio crackled to life. The voice came in a little broken, but Chris recognized it all the same.

Rebecca quickly hit the talk button. “Brad! Do you copy!?”

They waited a second and—

“Rebecca, are you and Chris alright! Oh god I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry!”

“Save it for later,” Chris responded when they got a second of silence. “This whole place is going to blow in less than ten minutes. Where are you?”

“Back in the tunnel. I found a vehicle.”

“Stay there and hold your fucking ground,” Chris responded. A vehicle would be their best chance and would hopefully lead them out of the tunnel and Umbrella’s whole facility. “Has anyone else responded?”

“No.”

“Keep trying them. Warn them to get out if they aren’t already trying to leave. Now stay down there and wait for us.”

“I will! I promise!”

As the radio went dead again, Rebecca said, “What about Joseph? Kenneth?”

“I don’t know,” whispered Chris. If Captain Marini was dead, were they dead too? “Try contacting them as we go. But we can’t make any detours. If we do, we’re not going to make it out of this alive. We’ll just have to trust them to get out themselves.”

Rebecca nodded in understanding. She tried to contact them as they walked through the facility as quickly as possible with the red lights still flashing and the warning of imminent self-destruction sounding every few seconds.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what were Jill and Wesker up to? Find out now!

Even with Jill having Wesker to guide her, the journey was a difficult one. Paths were blocked off and destroyed, monsters sometimes got in their way and made them turn back and go a different direction. Jill grabbed what she could along the way but storing the evidence and carrying all her weapons was a difficult task.

After a while, Jill said, “I know you told them to help anyone still alive, but is there anyone alive? Or was that just you playing the part of the good, optimistic captain?”

“The scientists here either evacuated or died trying already. Obviously, I couldn’t tell the others that.”

“Obviously,” sighed Jill. “Are we getting close?”

“Yes. Just a little farther now.”

They found a second elevator and traveled even further down. Jill had seen a great many atrocities already. It made her stomach twist, and the glare she continuously shot at Wesker’s head intensified. But she still couldn’t do anything. The evidence she’d collected needed to get out. This place needed to be destroyed. She still needed Wesker’s help for that. At least the second part.

And then Wesker finally led her into a room that had her eyes widening and her mouth dropping.

“What the fuck are these?” she whispered

“The beginning of the Tyrant series. My work, in fact.”

“It’s fucking disgusting,” growled Jill.

“It’s revolutionary,” Wesker retorted. “Though sadly, they will burn with the rest of this facility.”

“Then what exactly are you taking to get out from Umbrella?” asked Jill. “You’ve still refused to explain that.”

“Some embryos to sell to an alternative company.”

“So what? You’re just going to keep working on these monstrosities?”

“Perhaps. There’s still much we haven’t learned from them, though again, the primary goal is to leave from under Umbrella.”

“You could have just left then,” growled Jill. “Not bothered with all this shit.”

“I couldn’t have left without a target on my back. Gaining the protection and tools of another company, or any group, is absolutely necessary without having Umbrella hunt me down.”

Jill froze. A certain level of understanding suddenly passed through her. She didn’t know if it changed how she saw the captain or not, but she said it all the same. “You’re afraid of them.”

“I simply know when to pick and choose my battles,” Wesker replied, neither confirming nor denying the accusation. He started to walk around several sets of the Tyrant creatures, some more developed than others. “Now, if you are still dead set on gaining evidence against Umbrella, I suggest you look around here quickly. I’ll retrieve the embryos and then we can move to start—”

Wesker suddenly stopped talking. It had Jill tensing as she raised her gun. She turned to where he was. However, Wesker hadn’t acted quickly in bringing out any kind of weapon so it wasn’t like one of the monsters were about to attack. Instead, he calmly lowered his gun. He kept both hands low as he took one step back. Then another.

Enrico Marini stepped into view.

“Sir!” Jill’s eyes went wide as she took his appearance in. He looked like he’d been through hell and back. Something had pierced his side. His clothes were covered in black gunk and dirt. There was older blood there too, like from the zombies. In one hand was his gun, in the other, small colorful tubes with something floating in each of them.

“These what you were looking for?” growled Marini.

Wesker let out a tired sigh like he was annoyed that someone had cut in front of him, not that his whole mission was precariously being held in between Marini’s fingers.

Jill looked behind Marini but— “Where are Joseph and Kenneth?”

“Fucking dead!”

Jill stiffened.

Wesker glanced back to her and said, “We knew there would be a risk, even with me giving them the intel I did—”

“Intel! What fucking intel! That fucking man! The thing he became—”

“What man?” Wesker sounded calm as ever, the only difference being the hint of interest that had clearly appeared in his voice. It was annoying, but also signaled to Jill that Wesker was telling the truth. He didn’t know what Marini was talking about. Considering he had wanted all this to go as smoothly as possible, it wouldn’t have made sense for him to lie either.

“Dr. Marcus! The man made of fucking leeches who killed Joseph and Kenneth and almost got me!”

It was disconcerting seeing Bravo Team’s leader so broken, so desperate. Would Jill break under the same situation? It was certainly possible. But whatever he was feeling, she couldn’t let him shoot Wesker. Besides the fact that he was needed to help destroy this place, killing him wouldn’t solve anything. He deserved to answer for his crimes and Jill was determined to make it to that point. Only Wesker wasn’t really helping himself either. Despite his overly calm demeanor, his next words just riled Marini up more.

“That is quite impossible. Dr. Marcus is-well. Unless…hmm…”

“What is it?” asked Jill before Marini could explode forth with more accusations.

“I think I have an idea how this all may have started.”

“Then it wasn’t some scientist’s mistake? A vile breaking?”

“It very well could have been, but there seems to have been other forces at work that I was unaware of—”

“Stop it! Stop fucking talking! Drop your gun and get on your knees!”

“I’m afraid I’m not comfortable doing that in such a situation Captain Marini.”

“Please! Just calm down sir,” Jill quickly added. “We can discuss this—”

Suddenly, she found the gun pointed at her. They all moved slightly. Wesker stepped back again. Jill stepped forward, almost like she was going to get in front of Wesker. Marini looked between them before he shook his head.

“You knew Valentine. You actually fucking knew. What god damn pictures are you hiding in around here? Is there one of you with Wesker and all those fucking scientists with a lab coat of your own?!”

“No, I’m not involved in any of this. I want this place to burn just as much as you do,” Jill replied, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. “Please believe me. I only found out about all his recently. But if we work together, we can all get out of here.”

“Not Kenneth! Not Joseph after he was consumed by that thing!”

Jill’s heart pained at that. She would shed tears for them later though. She tried stepping closer, more in between Wesker and Marini now.

“It is regrettable—”

“Shut up!”

“Not helping Wesker,” snapped Jill just as he suddenly raised his gun again now that she was securely in between them. “And that’s not helping either! I won’t let you shoot him.”

“Move out of the way Valentine,” growled Marini. He took a step closer, but Jill spread her arms out.

“And you’re not shooting him! We’re destroying this place and we’re getting out of here with enough evidence to bring Umbrella crashing down on us. You just have to listen to me!”

“I’m not following that traitor!”

Wesker let out another tired sigh. “Then it seems we must take drastic measures.”

“No!” yelled Jill as she fully turned her back to Marini. “You’ll have to shoot me before I let you shoot him.”

“Jill—”

“I fucking mean it Wesker. Either break the deal, try to kill us both, and take your fucking embryos, or just—”

“Jill!”

Her eyes widened. Something in Wesker’s stance changed. She couldn’t completely read it, especially thanks to the sunglasses still over his eyes. Because of the uncertainty, her own gun suddenly came up. She watched as if in slow motion as Wesker’s muscles tensed and he started to move. Her finger was on the trigger. She almost fired, almost shot Wesker right between the eyes so his sunglasses would snap in half.

But something told her not to do it.

Even so, she half expected to be shot and killed by her boss. Instead? Wesker’s body slammed into her. Glass shattered from behind them, spraying them with liquid and shards as their bodies hit the ground, Wesker’s partially covering hers.

A blood curdling scream ripped through the air and on top of the clear fluid and glass, hot, red blood showered over them. Jill’s eyes first found the three embryo cases hitting the floor, each completely shattering and destroying the contents inside. Then her eyes moved left, to the large, gray feet. Her eyes traveled upwards and as her face moved, more blood fell against her skin.

Captain Marini hung in the air, completely impaled through his midsection by one of the fully grown Tyrants.

Wesker must have seen the cracks in the glass beginning to occur, and he’d—

Saved her?

She would have to think on that later, if there ever was a later. For now, Wesker didn’t have to say anything. The moment he was off her, Jill rolled to her feet. They both ran from the thing, finding cover as it threw Marini’s body to the side.

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to say some bullshit like you can’t bring yourself to kill one of your creations!”

“I do plan to see the next sunrise!” Wesker sarcastically shouted back as the monster roared.

“Good! Then how the fuck do we kill it!”

Before Wesker could answer, they both had to jump out of the way as the creature’s large, clawed arm swung left and right. Metal was ripped to shreds. Glass shattered and bulbs burst. Jill swung the shotgun off her back and fired twice.

“We don’t have enough bullets for that!”

“Well what the hell else do you have in mind!?” Jill rolled out of the way and fired again into the Tyrant. Jesus, he was just taking it.

“I am thinking.”

“Think faster!”

“Now look at who isn’t being helpful.”

“Wesker!”

“That side of the room! Now!”

The creature was in the way, so Jill ran forward before hitting the ground hard. She slid under the Tyrant and met Wesker by the glass cabinet. He pulled out a jug of chemicals.

“It’s flammable.”

“Are you sure he won’t just attack us while on fire then?!”

“It’s the best option we have down here!” Wesker quickly took off the cap. He held the container in one hand while firing at the Tyrant. He unloaded almost his entire clip into the thing, stunning it for a second before tossing as much of the liquid as he could on it. The Tyrant swung and Wesker quickly rolled out of the way, grabbing another clip and reloading. It was his last one.

Jill struck her lighter. The flame shined bright as she threw it across and towards the creature. It sparked up and the monster roared, causing everything in the near vicinity to shake. But it kept going.

“Now what!”

“Keep firing!”

Jill listened to him, popping more shells into the shotgun, snapping it shut, and firing into the monster’s back. It did seem to be slowing it, but it still wasn’t dead yet.

Wesker’s last clip ran out. Jill tossed her pistol to him. He caught it, shot the thing in its face once, rolled for cover as a flaming claw tried to catch him, and then started firing again. Jill kept up with the shotgun, only for the creature to suddenly make a smarter move rather than running in circles, trying to catch them. Instead, the larger arm ripped into the ceiling. It caught something and just about everything came crashing down on Jill. She couldn’t reach her shotgun, and the mess of metal and bits made it impossible to push the stuff off from her position.

She’d enlisted in the army. She’d chosen to work for STARS. She had always known she could die for the job, was even prepared to do so.

But not now!

Not without knowing who else was alive and if they would make it. Not without at least succeeding in her mission, in getting that information out there and blowing Umbrella wide open. In killing this thing and destroying the facility before it started to attack the innocents of Raccoon City and possibly further. Kill her later, but not now. Not when so much hung on her!

“Jill!” Wesker’s clip quickly emptied again as he tried to distract the creature. Rather than running like he could have, he grabbed the nearest thing and just chunked it at the Tyrant’s head.

The monster started to come for him. It swung left and right and Wesker managed to dodge almost every time. He brought out his knife and tried to time it, slashing at the creature’s skin before dodging another devastating blow. It looked like the blade was barely doing anything, but it was all Wesker had. Maybe if he could grab Jill’s shotgun, that would be a different story, but it was partially under rubble and too far away.

Jill struggled to get out, pushing or pulling, but it was no use. She was pinned. And then—

Wesker mis stepped. Or maybe he hadn’t and the creature had just suddenly shown a new burst of energy, moving faster than him. Either way, its arm slammed into Wesker’s chest. It flung him across the room, partially ripping through the vest and undershirt. Blood welled up on his front and bits of flame had caught the fabric. He patted it down before shaking his head. His glasses, now cracked, fell off.

It was the first time Jill was able to see his eyes since they’d come here.

The icy blue stared down at the monster. Wesker was angry—

No.

He was _furious_.

Was it because he was being attacked by his own creation? Was it because his plans had been upended by Marini and his encounter with the strange creature that Wesker hadn’t been made aware of? It was hard to say. But like her, even if he had different reasons for it, he was determined not to die right now. But what could he grab? What could he fight with? Even his knife was across the room now, and that hadn’t been doing much good.

Wesker started to pull himself up, eyes wildly looking for something to grab or a place to go as the monster’s steps bounded towards him—

A high-pitched whistle came and the creature’s head spun. Before Jill could try and find the source, something fired. She recognized the sound as a grenade launcher and just before the creature was upon Wesker, it was shot back by the force and into the far wall. It exploded. Jill covered her head as best she could as bits of the lab, flesh, and flames, shot out. For a moment, the only noise came from the flames spread about the lab, and then she heard someone approach her.

Looking up, the face was inhuman, but it was different from the creatures Jill had faced. The almost man with the strange clothes and odd glasses wordlessly lifted the largest piece off of her. Jill scrambled out, quickly getting to her feet. She could tell her left leg was not broken, but god did it hurt as she limped out from the rubble.

Wesker had pushed himself up. If he was seriously injured, he was doing his best not to show it. There was another one of those strange creatures, both moving to stand behind one of two other men. One looked militaristic in his getup, gray hair and rocket launcher on the ground beside him, now empty. The other was dressed as a scientist.

“Albert Wesker,” the military like man said in a strong, Russian accent. “You were not supposed to be here.”

“Umbrella didn’t forbid it,” Wesker evenly replied, his voice only betraying the slightest hint of annoyance. “I was taking the initiative. Or does Umbrella want an outbreak to carry into the city where it would be impossible to handle?”

“It is not your job to decide what Umbrella wants. You always were a rat of a man. Not enough loyalty. Too much thought. And always leaving behind too many loose ends.”

The man suddenly pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at Jill.

She kept her mouth shut despite staring down the barrel. Her brain worked quickly. How to get out of this? How to keep from being another one of Umbrella’s victims?

“She is one of mine,” Wesker calmly said. However, his glasses were off. Jill was able to read just how on edge he was despite trying to hide it. He was trying to keep her alive, but she could honestly tell that he didn’t know if he would be successful or not.

“Yes, one of your proud little STARS. Now she will be a proud little dead STAR—”

“She does work with me at the precinct, but she is also one of mine,” Wesker repeated, putting emphasis on the last word.

The man gave a huff. “Has she been vetted?”

“Not yet—”

“Like I said, you think too much. She is still a security risk.” The man turned back to her. His grip tightened.

An idea came to Jill. It was one that made her mouth go sourer and her stomach twist, but it just might work to keep her fighting another day.

“Maybe I am, but before you shoot me—” Jill really didn’t know how she was keeping her voice so calm. “—you may like these back.”

She took the shoulder bag off and held it out.

“I gathered what information I could so that hopefully the scientists won’t have to start back at square one. I’d hate for research to go to waste.”

The Russian man laughed as he gestured at the scientist. The man walked over and took the bag. He looked through the contents and gave a confirming nod. “This is what we came for.”

The Russian man laughed again. “Now this one knows loyalty, handing it over even knowing I will most likely kill her.” Suddenly, he dropped his gun. “But not today. Have her vetted Wesker. Perhaps she will even replace you one day, huh? I certainly like her,” he finished with another laugh.

“Understood Col. Vladimir,” Wesker said as he walked over to stand next to Jill. He looked to the scientist. “Will, it’s good to see you still alive.”

“You too. Though you know you really shouldn’t have come here when you did.”

They clasped hands as Wesker simply replied, “It was the best choice I had in a short amount of time.”

Col. Vladimir came up to Jill. “What has he already told you?”

“Enough that you would have every right to shoot him for the security risk it posed,” Jill replied. She thought of it like she was responding to her commanding officer in the army. Back straight, head held high, and completely factual and too the point.

“Tell me, proud little STAR, what would be a correct form of action?”

“Kill him.” Even with it being Wesker, after what he’d done, she still felt sick saying it. She still wanted to apologize. Instead, she kept talking. “But I assume he has been kept around long enough due to his skills. Unless you have someone that could perfectly replace those, then I would keep him alive, for now, and simply on a shorter lease.”

“And what about you?”

“I do not have a scientific background. My apologies, sir.”

“A shame, but still, you could be quite useful as well,” chuckled Col. Vladimir. “Thank your little STAR, Wesker. You will be kept alive another day. Now, I have made sure the destruction of this place has been initiated. We shall all leave now before we become one with the rubble.” He momentarily focused back on Jill. “Welcome to Umbrella little STAR.”

“Thank you for the opportunity, sir,” she said, quickly adding a salute because he seemed like the kind of person to appreciate it.

Col. Vladimir chuckled again. Then he, the strange men, and the scientist Jill only knew as Will, started to walk away.

Wesker stepped back for a second, leaning in and whispering in her ear. “Well done. You just saved both our lives.”

She could tell from the tone alone just how proud Wesker was of her. This time, she took a little pride in it herself. She hated this trickery, but not only had it kept her alive, but it would hopefully lead her to uncovering even more about Umbrella than what she could have found in this underground lab alone. She hated that the information she had gathered was back in enemy hands, but at least she would be able to fight another day. And even keep an eye on Wesker now.

“I’m surprised you’re so ok with the outcome,” admitted Jill.

“Better to work for Umbrella than die by that ridiculous man,” Wesker huffed. “Come on.”

Jill just barely caught sight of Enrico Marini’s mangled body. She wanted to go to him, to say one last goodbye, but Col. Vladimir was already looking back. Not wanting to raise suspicions, she calmly walked with Wesker out of the broken lab.

She would see this through. She would play the spy and make sure Marini’s death wasn’t for nothing. Kenneth and Joseph’s and god forbidden anyone else that might have fallen that she didn’t know of. She would count herself lucky and use this new position for the benefit of everyone, to not let it go to waste.

It was time to get to work.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus ends the events of RE1 and begins the in between time between it and RE2/3. Thank you all for sticking around and basically reading what I consider the first of three acts. Thank you again and hope you enjoy!

Jill and Wesker eventually split up from the others, Wesker reminding Col. Vladimir that the other STARS members would question if they both suddenly disappeared only to reappear later after the lab’s destruction. Col. Vladimir reprimanded Wesker for that, saying that if he was half as smart as he claimed, then he would have used this opportunity to get rid of STARS too. But Col. Vladimir left it at that. Will and the strange things that had accompanied them left too. Soon, Jill and Wesker were alone again. She had so many questions, but she started with the more important ones first.

“So who’s Dr. Marcus?”

“Mine and Will’s mentor. Umbrella had him assassinated several years ago.”

“Then how did Marini encounter him?”

“Well…”

Wesker explained as they tried to find their way back up into the mansion. Obviously, he didn’t know for sure, but he guessed that the T-virus within those leeches had formed a collective copy of Dr. Marcus. Some kind of neurological imprint must have transferred over as well if the creature had identified itself as Marcus, but the real man was definitely dead. Thankfully, the creature born from him soon would be too, if Marini hadn’t destroyed it already.

Jill then asked, “What would you have done? If the Tyrant hadn’t broken out?”

“My plan was too shoot Captain Marini in the leg. I figured you would catch on, help me incapacitate him, and we could successfully finish the mission.”

So he had planned to keep Marini alive. And yet… “Wouldn’t that have complicated things for you?”

“I would have been gone with those embryos, even though I knew you were determined to bring me in. However, if I still wanted your cooperation, then I knew I had to somehow bring Captain Marini along. You wouldn’t have stood for me killing an innocent. Besides, it didn’t sit right.”

“It didn’t?”

“Captain Marini was an exceptional officer. His, and the other losses, will be a heavy blow to STARS.”

“Col. Vladimir stated that Umbrella still wants us dead.”

“True. Which doing that at an earlier point, or simply having other choices in front of me, may have meant destroying STARS would have been the smartest decision for my survival. As it stands, we are in this together, and as your interests are mine, that includes the survival of STARS. And I must admit, I am curious as to why they would want them disbanded after all the unofficial help STARS has provided Umbrella.”

“Maybe we can figure it out along the way,” sighed Jill.

“Perhaps. Contact the others. Hopefully they’re still alive.”

She nodded. “This is Jill. Come in STARS.”

She waited a little while. Then—

“Barry here! Status?”

“It’s done. Get out and get to the helicopter.”

“Understood. See you there.”

So Barry was alright. And from how his voice had sounded, it was a safe bet that that he hadn’t lost anyone. That left Chris, Rebecca, and Brad unaccounted for. She tried the radio again.

“Chris, if you or your team are out there, please respond.”

There was silence though as Wesker led them to an elevator. They got in and Jill tried again.

“Chris, please respond.”

“I consider him my best man for a reason Jill. He will make it out.”

“That your way of trying to reassure me?”

“I don’t need to. You know it too. He’ll make it out just fine.”

Jill let out a tired sigh. She hoped he was right.

They traveled up the elevator and then hurried out of the mansion. Jill noted some dead here and there, signaling where Barry and the others might have made contact. However, there was no time to explore the upper section of the mansion or its grounds as they ran out the door and hurried back to the helicopter. It was night now, but Wesker seemed to know where he was going even in the dark so Jill followed him. Since they’d lost their weapons in the fight, they both kept a quick pace. Thankfully, they didn’t encounter any dogs or anything else as they heard the helicopter before coming upon it within the twisted trees.

Edward was already in the pilot’s seat, the blades whirring as Jill and Wesker ducked slightly. They jumped in and slide the doors shut.

Jill looked around. Edward looked fine. Barry was good. So was Richard. But Forest was on the floor of the helicopter as Barry did his best to patch him up.

“What happened?” asked Wesker.

“Got ambushed from behind on the way out,” Richard explained.

“Jesus, I wish Rebecca was here,” Barry sighed as he finished up. “Any word from the others?”

“We ran into Captain Marini,” Jill said.

“How?”

“The different facilities must have all been connected,” explained Wesker. He made a gesture towards Edward to take off. “He informed us that Joseph and Kenneth didn’t make it. Then we were attacked by a creature.”

“The captain died from his wounds,” Jill finished with a mournful glance down.

“Shit.” Barry shook his head. It likely affected them all equally, but Barry managed to keep the immediate pain off his face as he focused on what he could do. “Are you both ok? I’ve done all I can for Forest right now.”

“I’m fine,” Jill immediately said.

“That rubble did pin you down,” Wesker replied. He turned to Barry. “Make sure nothing is broken.”

Jill resisted the urge to push away the help. Part of the reason was that she felt guilty. Even with her knowing that it was the best hand she’d been dealt and she had to play with it, she still hated lying to the others. She felt like she didn’t deserve Barry’s help, but it didn’t matter. She would take it. She needed to make sure she stayed in top form as her new role would certainly put a lot of strain on her.

The helicopter turned silent except for the sound of the blades and the engine. After Barry checked her out-thankfully just a lot of bruising-he turned to Wesker.

“I’ll need you to remove your vest if I’m to look at those cuts on your chest.”

“I’m fine—”

“Just because you’re the captain doesn’t mean you get to play that card,” Jill replied. “That thing really threw you across the room.”

Wesker let out a resigned sigh. But as both Jill and Barry were looking at him expectantly, along with Richard over his shoulder, he finally followed the order. Barry got some things from the med kit and started to apply them through the torn shirt. The only sign that it hurt was the slight narrowing of Wesker’s eyes and the occasional twitch of his brow—

Jill suddenly laughed before she quickly covered her mouth.

So they hadn’t been there for some stupid, pretentious reason. Or at least there had been more to it. If Wesker hadn’t had his sunglasses, then Jill was suddenly positive that she-any of STARS really-would have discovered just how many lies Wesker had told over their time working together. All that emotion, all that truth, all held in his eyes and the slight twitches that occurred near them.

“You’re not breaking on me, are you Valentine?” asked Wesker, his voice calm as ever. But his eyes still betrayed him. Betrayed the slight pain as Barry continued to treat him and the slight worry. Whether the worry was for her, or for himself and the fear that she might suddenly blow their cover, she couldn’t tell. But it was there all the same.

“No sir,” she replied. “Just thankful everyone that’s here right now made it.”

“Let’s just hope Chris and the others make it too,” Edward said. “Any word from them?”

Wesker shook his head. “But I trust them to make it out. For now, let’s focus on getting Forest treated in a timely manner and returning to the precinct. I’m sure Irons will have a great deal to say on our excursion.”

They all grimaced at that thought. It didn’t matter that they’d done the right thing, Irons would be pissed they surpassed his authority. Jill briefly wondered if Irons would pull Wesker aside, maybe even herself as well if word got around quick enough that she was now part of Umbrella. It would be good to finally see Irons’ true colors, though he’d always been a prick of a man. At least now Jill knew he was a lying, traitorous prick of a man.

With that, everyone turned silent again, lost in their own thoughts and simply being thankful that they were still breathing.

Upon arrival at the precinct, Wesker had it ordered that Forest be taken directly to a hospital. Jill sure as hell hoped he wasn’t infected and that he would survive this. She stuck close to Wesker though, as did Richard, Edward, and Barry. They went down and returned what tools and equipment they’d come back with, though Wesker also had to pick up all the paperwork he would have to file at the amount that had been lost as well. Jill and him would even have to write up that they’d lost their personal firearms as well.

Before any of that could occur though, before Wesker could give a quick speech or more orders as they all arrived inside STARS’ office, Irons found them.

Jill was only mildly surprised when Irons ordered her to follow him and Wesker to his office. Barry gave her a sympathetic, yet confused look. She just gave him a shrug and an ‘I have no idea’ expression. For now, she would try and keep everyone else in the dark, not wanting to put them in danger or force them into Umbrella’s fold against their will like what had happened to her.

The cops and other workers quickly jumped out of Irons’ way as they moved through the halls.

Once Jill had walked through the door, Irons slammed it shut behind her and almost clipped her in the shoulder because of it. He walked around his desk and sat in his chair in a huff. He didn’t offer them a seat, though Wesker took one anyways. The action almost caused a god damn vein to burst in the chief’s head. Jill decided to stay standing and simply moved so she was right behind Wesker.

“Have you lost your god damn mind Wesker! Thanks to you, I have Umbrella breathing down my fucking back, asking what the hell I ordered you to do, and I had to respond like a god damn fucking idiot that I had no idea what the hell you were doing!”

“I was taking the initiative,” Wesker calmly replied.

“I don’t pay you to take initiative!” Irons suddenly stood up and started pacing.

Wesker remained seated. Jill glanced down at him and managed to read in his eyes that he was annoyed with Irons. However, he held any comments he had back. Her eyes returned to Irons when he finally stopped in front of his liquor cabinet. He took out a glass and some bourbon. As he poured, he started speaking again.

“Umbrella had it handled. They were going to give me orders to relay to you in time, if only you had just fucking waited and listened!”

“Umbrella would have waited too long, likely wishing to see what long term effects the T-virus would have on different hosts. That would have led to more creatures getting though which would have led to more incidents in the city, which in turn would have caused more work for you and—”

Wesker abruptly stopped talking as Irons downed the glass of bourbon in one swallow, spun around, and threw the glass at Wesker’s head. He easily angled himself out of the way and Jill sidestepped just in time too. The glass shattered against the far wall.

“This is fucking Umbrella Wesker! You of all people know this. It doesn’t fucking matter if there’s more work. I would have been rewarded for it, and Umbrella would have handled it in the end! That’s what fucking matters! Do your god damn job! And then of all things you bring Valentine into this without my fucking permission?!”

“I don’t need your permission to involve anyone I deem necessary.”

“Oh no. Because apparently you don’t need anyone’s fucking permission!” Irons took out another glass and quickly drank from that too. When he finished, he poured a third drink and walked over. He sat back down in his chair with a huff. “You are fucking lucky Umbrella wants to keep you in this position, otherwise I would have your ass fucking hanging on a hook by now.”

“I know,” Wesker replied, this time the barest hint of smugness entering his voice. “Why do you think I did it?”

“You fucking cocksucker!”

Well there went the second glass, this time thrown more wildly so Wesker and Jill didn’t have to actively dodge it as it too shattered, the liquid spraying against the wall. Irons then pointed his finger at Jill.

“And just because you’re suddenly in on this doesn’t mean you can get away with Wesker’s fucking example. You hear that bitch? You’re the lowest form of grunt they got and no matter if Wesker wants you here or not, you’re as fucking good as mincemeat if I put in a word. Got it?”

Jesus, she’d always known he was an asshole, but clearly he felt no need to even pretend he was just acting as Police Chief. He was just straight up threatening her now. However, she didn’t let it outwardly bother her and simply bowed her head a little. “Yes sir.”

“See Wesker? That’s how you listen to fucking orders,” growled Irons. “Now, we need to discuss what the hell were going to write up about that fucking fiasco. And any information your people get better be fucking confiscated before those documents can be looked at, or worse, leaked.”

“Understood,” Wesker calmly replied.

Irons growled in the back of his throat but kept talking. At least Wesker kept his mouth shut for the rest of the meeting as he and Jill took note of Irons’ orders. When the man was done, he waved them away with his parting words.

“Get the fuck out of my office.”

Wesker stood and Jill quickly followed. Just before she closed the door behind her, she heard Irons yell for his secretary to get the fuck inside and clean up the mess. Jill let out a shuddering breath, more angry than anything at how she’d been treated in there. But if she could handle Umbrella, then the least she could do was put up with that piece of work.

Along the way back to the STARS office, they bumped into Marvin Branagh who let out a low whistle. “I see you survived.”

“Let me guess, Irons interrogated the whole precinct trying to find us, huh?” Jill sighed.

“You could say that again. He made at least two people cry.”

“What a fucking asshole.”

“Yeah, well he signs the paychecks,” Marvin muttered with a disgusted look. “Where did you guys go anyways? You look like you’ve been through hell. And where are the rest of STARS? Only one copter returned, right?”

“Classified for the moment I’m afraid,” Wesker smoothly said. “I assure you, you’ll hear about it along with everyone else.”

“Yeah, of course. STARS exclusivity and all. I’ll see you later Jill? Maybe for another night down at Jack’s when things settle down?”

“Yeah, maybe,” she replied, shooting him a tired smile before they said their goodbyes and continued on. Though being with STARS meant they interacted with the other officers less, Marvin was a good man and definitely Jill’s first choice as far as a first responder went. She wondered if she would ever have a chance to go drinking with him and the rest of the men again. She hoped so, if only to have a moment of normalcy return to her life.

For the moment, she just let out another tired sigh and entered STARS’ office right behind Wesker. Looking around, she asked, “Where’s Barry?” She expected someone to say calling his family, but instead, she finally got some good news.

“Brad contacted us through a satellite phone,” Edward said.

Richard nodded. “They got out in some vehicle, found the train tracks, and were almost to the city when Brad finally called. Barry said he would meet them at the hospital. Said he would also take the opportunity to get an update on Forest.”

“Them?” asked Jill. “So then…”

“Chris and Rebecca are alive,” Edward replied. “Injured, but alive.”

“Oh thank god.”

“I told you they would be alright,” Wesker said. He looked at the remaining STARS officers and added, “I’m sure we are all quite anxious to see our fellow officers, but we still have work to get done. We’ll need to get a substantial amount of the paperwork completed before anyone can go home.”

Edward groaned and Richard mumbled something about Barry being lucky.

“If you are worried about that, I will make sure Burton does a fair share of his expected work tomorrow. After all, I expect individual reports from all of you. Now get to work.”

“Yes sir.”

Wesker moved to his office and Jill sat down, anxious to get everything she could done so that she could go see the others. Even with Richard and Edward saying they were ok, she knew she wouldn’t feel truly at ease until she could see Brad, Chris, and Rebecca all alive with her own eyes. She booted up the computer and got to work.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

Getting out of those labs and the facility ended up being just as difficult as getting in had been.

Somehow, Chris and Rebecca made it down to the tunnels.

Brad was still waiting for them.

Then they got the hell out of there as the tunnel started to collapse around them and the destruction sequence began.

Brad’s foot never let up from the peddle.

Chris grabbed what weapons he could to fire at the weird dripping tentacles that snaked around the chaos and tried to catch up with them as they sped away.

And finally, Rebecca unboxed a grenade launcher from inside the vehicle and as they finally left the tunnel, they fired into the top of the opening, permanently closing it for good.

Brad had slowed. Everyone had taken a moment to catch their breath, and then he’d said, “I think those are the train tracks that go through the mountains. If we go that way, we should get back to Raccoon City in no time.”

Chris had just sighed in relief, collapsing in the back and Rebecca doing the same. On the drive back, the young girl had leaned into him in the bed of the vehicle. Chris had put an arm around her. Everything they’d seen, the fact that they’d lost Marini and possibly others, maybe all of STARS, was a lot for anyone to go through, much less a young, new recruit. Chris half expected her to break down. When she didn’t, he’d wondered if he might just break enough for the both of them. He’d kept it together for the moment though and Brad had continued to drive through what was now night.

They’d taken a moment to search the vehicle again and found a satellite phone as they approached the city.

Brad called the station.

Thank god Jill or Wesker didn’t answer.

And soon Brad was pulling in front of the ER of the Raccoon General Hospital.

Everything else was kind of a blur. Chris knew for a fact that Brad had said he was sorry at least a hundred times by now. Maybe more. Chris and Rebecca were quickly admitted, both being put in a room and quickly checked out before it was decided they would need to stay overnight. Chris would possibly stay longer so they could keep an eye on how his insides were doing.

But they were alive.

Chris and Rebecca sat in their respective hospital beds. Their hands were heavily bandaged, and Chris had an ice pack resting against his fractured ribs. And Brad was still going. On and on and—

“It’s ok,” sighed Chris as he finally broke up the repetitive apologizing.

“But I shouldn’t have left you guys! Just, when that thing came out of nowhere and ripped those doors off I just-I’m a coward. I never should have—”

“You couldn’t have gotten to us anyways,” sighed Chris.

“The best thing you could do was run,” agreed Rebecca. “And please stop saying you abandoned a kid. I may be the youngest, but I’m an adult. I chose this job. I knew the risks involved.”

Brad scoffed. “You knew a giant one-handed claw golem would come after us? I wish I had that foresight.”

That at least got a tired chuckle out of Chris, albeit a very pained one. “Fair enough.”

“I’m still sorry.”

“I know,” whispered Chris.

“It’s ok Brad,” Rebecca added.

“It’s not, but thanks for saying it anyways.” Brad paused. He looked to the slightly propped open door. It was surprising that Barry wasn’t there yet, but he’d said something about checking on Forest. There weren’t any doctors or nurses headed their way, so Brad turned back and asked, “What exactly happened down there?”

Chris and Rebecca shared a look.

“Listen, I would just assume you saw some fucked up shit and call it a day, but there’s something else. Isn’t there?”

“Now you decide to be a good detective?” Chris asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m serious. A-And I noticed how you tensed up when I first said I was going to try and contact the station to see if anyone had made it. Not just anyone, but I mentioned Captain Wesker and you didn’t like that. I don’t understand why saying that would make you react poorly, so just tell me what the hell happened down there.”

Chris pushed himself up and adjusted the icepack. Rebecca quickly shook her head though.

“We can’t. What if it puts him in danger?”

“He’s more in danger not knowing about those fucking traitors,” growled Chris.

“Wait, traitors? Who’s a traitor?”

“Chris, don’t. What if…what if we don’t know everything—”

“Jill and Wesker are working for Umbrella.”

Brad’s eyes went wide. Rebecca let out a tired sigh. When Brad looked to her, clearly hoping she would deny it, she just murmured, “It’s already out now. No taking it back.”

“That’s…but that’s not—”

“We saw them talking to a scientist and some guy with Umbrella’s emblem. Captain Marini’s dead body was right beside them. No reaction, no glance over or look of mourning. And then they just walked away,” growled out Chris.

“But it couldn’t be-I mean-not Jill! Right?”

“Maybe there’s something else going on,” murmured Rebecca. She watched Chris tense and quickly added, “It doesn’t change what we saw, or that a massive amount of explanation is going to be needed. But we couldn’t even hear what they were saying.”

Chris closed his eyes and leaned back in bed as another breath caused a particularly bad stab of pain. “I don’t know. I just know I’m not letting anyone else fall. What we saw back there, the things Umbrella was trying to create for a god damn profit, they have to be stopped. I’m telling Barry when he gets here.”

“Are you sure?” murmured Rebecca.

“He deserves to know.”

“I have to side with Chris on this,” whispered Brad. “Whatever the captain and Jill are doing, we’ve got to stay united. Have each other’s back in case…well. Just in case.”

“Maybe,” Rebecca replied. She started to cough and when that didn’t immediately subside, Brad jumped to get her some water.

It wasn’t long after that when Barry finally turned up. Chris didn’t say anything right away. He let Barry explain what had happened on his end, the strange upper floors of the mansion that they’d explored, and how last minute Wesker had decided to put Forest with Barry so that Wesker and Jill went it alone for the rest of the investigation. Barry also explained how Forest had gotten attacked and that he was still in surgery now, about fifty-fifty odds.

Then Barry dropped his head and let out a tired sigh. “Even if Forest survives, not all of us made it. Captain Marini, Kenneth, and Joseph didn’t make it.”

Though Chris hadn’t been positive about Kenneth and Joseph, something inside him had told him they hadn’t made it. Captain Marini wouldn’t have left them unless they’d been dead. Now Chris just had that final confirmation. He murmured, “We knew.”

“Wait, how?”

And Chris explained.

He explained because he was upset. He was so fucking angry. Because he knew that if the roles were reversed, he would want Barry to tell him, to let him in on everything. And as he and Rebecca neared the end of what had happened to them, a doctor came.

The man double checked how Rebecca and Chris were doing, confirmed that they would be staying for overnight observation, and then added, “Now, we usually only allow two visitors max, but you guys are STARS. You do a lot for us and this city. Just know we can’t have any of you staying all night. Visiting hours still end in about an hour.”

“Thank you?” Rebecca said, slightly confused by how he’d said it.

Wait, was there someone else—

Just as the doctor left, Jill walked in.

“You’re all alive. Thank god. I know they said you were, but it’s so good to actually see you…” She trailed off, finally noticing the stillness in everyone. “What is it?”

“You know what it is,” bit out Chris. The smarter move might have been to hide the accusation. There was no telling what Jill and Wesker might do. But he looked at her, his best friend, and that anger was just flaring up again. Not only that, but it was also a selfish risk, one where he wanted her to deny it. He wished she would. Instead, her shoulders slumped slightly and a tired sigh left her lips.

“Shit.”

She quickly turned on her heels and started to leave, though Barry called out, “Jill, wait!” and followed her out the door.

“Where the hell does she think she’s going?” Chris tried to get up, but Brad quickly came over and put a hand on his shoulder.

“You shouldn’t be moving around. If Barry doesn’t come back soon, I’ll go look for them. But hell, we really don’t know what’s going on right now. Maybe Jill will explain it.”

Chris bit back a retort, his breathing pained and uneven from his attempt to quickly get up. He closed his eyes for a second. He tried to think of alternative reasons for everything, but he couldn’t. He was too upset, too focused on just what he’d seen to be able to think of anything else.

When he opened his eyes again, Jill had come back in. She looked upset, but not at anyone in the room. She seemed to be upset with herself while Barry went to sit down again.

“Barry said you saw us on a monitor?” questioned Jill.

When Chris didn’t respond, Rebecca nodded her head. “Yes.”

“God damn it. This is…just why couldn’t you keep your mouth shut? Huh Chris? I was trying to protect you, all of you, and now it’s just—”

“Protect us? How the hell is working for Um—”

Chris’ rising voice was suddenly cut off. Not because Jill interrupted him or anything. She just made a small motion. Her finger came up and she pressed it to her lips. Her gaze hard as she stared at him. And Chris did stop talking, a part of him hoping that maybe, just maybe his assumptions were wrong.

Jill waited a second, likely to make sure Chris wasn’t going to just start talking again. When he didn’t, she walked over to the door, carefully looked down the hall, and then closed the door. She turned back to the room and murmured, “I just called Wesker to come here. Believe me when I say he is even more pissed about this than me, but now that you all know, you clearly need to be told the full truth if there is even a chance you’ll keep trusting us. Which is fair. I would want the same thing in your position. But you never know who is listening in. Understand? I don’t mean just here. You never know, so be careful what you say. Always. And Wesker and I already decided we’re not telling Richard or Edward. Or Forest if he wakes up. This amount of people knowing is already too dangerous. We can’t increase that.”

“Why?” asked Chris. He was still angry, but he kept his voice down now. “Why should we listen to you? Or Wesker?”

“I would personally argue you shouldn’t trust Wesker. But what I did was because I got thrown into a shitty situation and I was trying to protect all of you.”

“How does not telling us anything protect us?”

“Because Umbrella is massive,” whispered Jill. “You’ve noticed me pulling away Chris. Not wanting to hang out after work, being distant ever since these attacks started. It’s because that first one said something to me. It led me to investigating on my own, digging deeper and deeper until the only way everything made sense was if Wesker was in on it somehow. So I confronted him. I wanted to bring him in. I wanted to expose everything, but I quickly realized I didn’t have enough to do so. To do that with Umbrella. So Wesker and I had a plan. One where he could do what he’d been planning to do, we could shut down the outbreak before it reached the city, and so I could get enough information to bring Umbrella down. Clearly, that didn’t happen though.”

“Then explain what we saw on the monitors,” Chris replied. “Marini was dead. You were talking to those Umbrella people. You saluted that man. Why?”

“Because I do work for Umbrella now,” Jill murmured. It was clear that just saying those words made her mouth turn sour. “But I only made the agreement in the hopes I’ll be able to get the information I lost, and because it was the only way for myself and Wesker to stay alive.”

“I want to believe you Jill. But I just…”

“Let me explain everything from the beginning. Let me and Wesker explain everything.”

“But if what you just said is true, why didn’t you tell any of us?” asked Chris. If not angry, then he suddenly felt incredibly sad and betrayed at not being told. “We’re partners Jill.”

“I told you. I was trying to protect you. I didn’t…just hold on until Wesker gets here,” she sighed. “Can you at least explain what happened from your end? Please?”

Chris was hesitant, but when Rebecca started talking, he begrudgingly filled in some of the details. He didn’t know what to think. He tried not to get his hopes up too high while he simultaneously hoped that Jill was telling the truth. That she hadn’t betrayed them. But how could working for Umbrella be the right move? Exactly what had happened between her and Wesker and all of this?

Eventually, Wesker came and it seemed everything would be answered.

Without his sunglasses, it was clear he was very upset with this turn of events. He simply closed the door and said, “Don’t interrupt. Just listen and understand you cannot repeat any of this to anyone, ever.”

And then he and Jill began.

Chris found a lot of his anger getting directed towards Wesker as it became clear that he had been some Umbrella grunt from the beginning. He didn’t hide anything back and Chris was still just as confused as before on how he should feel about the captain. About a man he had put his trust in, who he’d let watch his back and he’d watched his. And with Jill, the anger finally wilted away, but why couldn’t she have just told him? Fuck the danger, he hated that she hadn’t come to him the moment her suspicions had been raised.

After explaining a good deal, Wesker said, “Visiting hours are almost up. Jill and I will explain the rest in a non-conspicuous place. Somewhere Umbrella won’t be listening.”

“Should we do dinner at my place?” murmured Barry. “We’ve done it a lot. It wouldn’t be suspicious.”

“An excellent idea except for one issue,” Wesker said. “Your house is bugged.”

Everyone’s eyes went wide. Jill stepped forward. “What the fuck Wesker?”

“Why the hell is my house bugged,” Barry said in angry, hot whispers. “That’s where my fucking children sleep. My wife!”

“That’s precisely why. It was decided that if a member of STARS was ever needed to be blackmailed or used to work for Umbrella, the one with the most to lose would be the best option. You are the only member of STARS with an immediate family in the city that could easily be manipulated.”

“You fucking asshole.” Barry got up and walked near him.

Wesker didn’t flinch and his eyes only betrayed that he was slightly annoyed with all this. “I didn’t decide on it. Besides, with Jill working with us, there won’t be a need to blackmail you.”

“Fuck you. I want them out of my house, now.”

“I don’t have the authorization for that.”

“Wesker,” warned Jill. “This is fucked up. It’s his god damn family. If you won’t do anything, I’ll—”

“You would simply bring suspicion to yourself if you brought this up, and Col. Vladimir would likely shoot you on sight,” sighed Wesker. “If it is such a concern—”

“Yeah, it’s a big fucking concern Wesker,” Barry interrupted.

“Then I will see what I can do,” Wesker finished. “As for now, we should reconvene at Jill’s I think. She still has some documentation that I think will help legitimize some of the things we’ve said today. It is important that nothing changes at work. That we are still STARS and we are still united.”

“That’s fucking rich coming from you,” growled Chris.

Wesker’s brow twitched, but Jill quickly stepped forward. “Then for me Chris, please? I am now in the god damn middle of this and if anyone finds out I’m just there to gather information and expose them, I am dead. And if they find out all of you know? You are all dead so please. We have to work together on this. I hate working with Wesker, but it’s the best option right now.”

Everyone seemed to wait for Chris’ answer. He didn’t want to agree. He was so fucking angry, but if the others were put into danger, Barry’s family? He couldn’t risk that. He couldn’t despite how much he didn’t want to agree—

“Knock knock,” said a doctor as he poked his head in. “I’m sorry, but you’ll all need to leave in the next few minutes. The patients do need to rest. You can come back tomorrow at nine.”

“We were leaving just now,” Wesker replied. “Rebecca, Chris, I hope you make a quick recovery. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye,” whispered Rebecca. Chris didn’t say anything, knowing too well it would’ve sounded like a lie anyways.

Jill glanced towards Chris right before she left. He could see the apology in her eyes and yet—

Chris had to look away. He leaned back and closed his eyes as everyone left, leaving him and Rebecca alone in their beds. He wondered if he would even be able to sleep after the things he’d heard. How the hell had his life become even more convoluted?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoy it!

Chris was lying on his couch.

A couple of days had passed. They’d gone to Jill’s and talked. Everyone had looked over the information she had so far which helped to legitimize the story from before. Chris understood a little better why she’d approached Wesker now. From the initial reports and intel, he would have had to know something about the strange attacks. And Chris would have asked him about it and divulged everything with the small hope that it was all wrong too, just like Jill.

But why hadn’t Jill come to Chris after that? Why couldn’t she have just let him help her?

A part of him understood why, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.

Now he was in his apartment and on medical leave. The bandages on his hands meant he was unable to hold a gun or really do any work for a while, same for Rebecca. It also meant Chris was alone, work no longer being an outlet to see some of the people he cared most about. He was sure Jill had called him. Barry probably had too. His phone had been ringing a fuck ton since getting home. But every time it went off, he let the phone ring and never went to grab it. Not having caller ID, and never having gotten around to setting up a voicemail system, made it easier to ignore everything.

The closest thing he could have done involving socialization involved Rebecca. She had asked if he wanted her to visit right before they’d left the hospital, since they would both be stuck on medical leave. He’d told her he would call her.

But he hadn’t.

And if she’d tried to call like any of the others, well, he just hadn’t picked up.

Chris just didn’t know what to feel. He didn’t know how to express it to anyone, didn’t know if he wanted to.

He was still hurt by Jill, and then Wesker? Jesus fucking Christ, how was he supposed to continue on like everything was normal? How was he supposed to follow his orders without questioning him? How could Jill bring herself to follow him? She had to feel disgusted by it. How did she get past that feeling in her chest? How was she able to compartmentalize it all?

Chris didn’t know the answer. He didn’t know what was the right thing to do. Obviously, he couldn’t say anything. That would put the others in danger, Barry’s family. And if he hadn’t said anything, well maybe Barry’s family wouldn’t be in danger anyways. That also pissed Chris off as he felt conflicted about telling everyone now. But he just hadn’t been able to lie to them. And now? How could he just go back to work after healing like nothing had happened?

He didn’t know.

Chris rolled over and grabbed a beer. He’d been drinking a lot, not having much else to do and TV not holding any appeal. He just didn’t want to think about any of this. He just wanted to numb himself to everything and the painkillers weren’t doing enough. He downed some of it and then set the beer bottle to the side—

He suddenly heard a knock on the door. Fuck, was it Jill? It was definitely Jill. She’d gotten fed up with him not talking to her and she was going to try and force it. She was the only one stubborn enough to make a move like this so soon after everything had happened. He just wasn’t ready though! He yelled, “Go away!” and took another swig from the bottle.

Part of him expected to hear her yell back, bang on the door some more. Jill never gave up that easily. However, instead of doing either of those things, he heard the door being unlocked.

Hang on, no one around here had a key. Not even Jill. Only one person besides himself had a key to this place and that was—

Chris had only gotten around to propping himself up when Claire burst through the door.

“You have no idea how good it is to hear your stupid voice,” Claire sighed in relief as she rushed over. She bent over slightly to hug him. He was so shocked at having her there, he didn’t know what to say. Before he could think of something, she suddenly hit him in the shoulder.

“Ow!”

“That’s for not picking up the god damn phone Christopher.”

“Wait, you-shit. I’m sorry. I just—”

“You better be a hell of a lot more than sorry,” sulked Claire. She sat down on the floor next to him and took one of his wrapped hands in hers. “Do you realize how worried I was? The last time we talked was days ago and you fell asleep during our god damn conversation. Which, fine. You don’t call back the next day to apologize, I get it. You’re busy. But then you still don’t call. And then when I call, you don’t pick up and when I call the station they say it’s all classified and I tried calling Barry but Kathy answered and said she wasn’t sure and he’d gotten really quiet after some weird incident in the woods and that some of STARS had died but she said you hadn’t but she also hadn’t talked to you and just didn’t know what—”

“Woah, slow down. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry Claire. I just…I’m sorry.” He hadn’t thought about her at all, or how the calls could have been from her. He mentally kicked himself for that.

“I know. The station didn’t tell me a lot, but I know that with whatever happened you’ve been through hell. I was just worried—what the fuck Chris?” Claire suddenly twisted around and grabbed the half empty beer bottle. It sat next to a bunch of other bottles and his pain pills. “Did the doctor’s say it was ok to mix these with alcohol?”

“Yes.”

She gave him a look that was incredibly close to how their mother had looked whenever Chris had decided to take all his macaroni and cheese and make a picture on the floor with it. It was amazing how uncanny it was considering that Claire didn’t have a single memory of their parents.

Chris quickly changed his answer. “No.”

“That’s what I thought.”

She grabbed all the bottles, dumping the half empty one in the sink before throwing everything into his trash. She then opened the fridge and started to look through everything. “Have you eaten anything today?”

“No,” he sighed.

“Chris, you are one six pack away from a drinking problem.”

“I do not have a drinking problem!”

“I said a six pack away. You’re not there yet.”

Chris let out a long groan, his head rolling back against the armrest of the couch.

“You want Chinese?”

“Sure.” He didn’t really want anything, but he wasn’t going to argue with his sister. The small, logical part of his mind also told him he did need to eat anyways. He glanced up and his eyes followed Claire as she automatically cleaned up a bit before grabbing the phonebook. She ordered their favorite and then said, “I’m going to go grab my bag. I’ll be right back.”

“Your bag? Exactly how long do you think you’re staying? What about those summer classes?” Now that he knew even a fraction of Umbrella’s true dealings and scope, the idea of Claire being in Raccoon City a second longer caused his skin to crawl.

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t sound so upset. Only for three days, max! And I talked to my teachers. I’ll be able to catch up no problem.”

Chris let out another long sigh. Pushing Claire away would just worry her more and probably make her decide to stay even longer. He would just take advantage of their time together. In the future, he would just have to remember to be more careful about calling Claire back and answering her so she never felt the need to make a surprise visit again.

With a tired sigh, he pushed himself up and went to the restroom. Every move still hurt. Externally, the bruises were slowly fading, but the internal fractures and that punctured lung would take a lot longer to heal.

He managed to get back to the couch and sat down as Claire rushed back in.

“As promised, here are the photos,” she said as she jumped onto the couch and kicked off her shoes.

“The what?”

“My bikes? Remember?”

“Oh, your ladies,” chuckled Chris.

“At least you’re learning how to properly talk about them.”

He rolled his eyes, but at least Claire brought a sense of peace and familiarity into his suddenly fucked up world. He got close to his sister and couldn’t help but smile a little as she showed off the pictures she’d had developed. Some of the images were incredibly close up. Claire would explain the part and why it was so amazing and special. Or the picture would be a nice full body shot with sometimes Claire being in the picture too or someone else.

The food arrived not long after.

Claire turned the TV on to one of those sitcoms that could be mistaken for tens of others. However, she put it on mute after a while and just started talking about school. Chris didn’t mind. He asked a few questions here and there, but mostly let his sister lead as they ate.

It was still comfortable. Still familiar and nice as they finished up and Claire grabbed their boxes to throw away in the trash. When she walked back over though, Chris knew the conversation was about to change when she finally turned the TV off.

She sat down a little slower. Her gaze had hardened. Her eyes flickered away several times before she fell on, “What happened to you Chris?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Nothing?”

He let out a tired sigh. “Well…I slid down an elevator shaft.”

Claire’s look of surprise quickly disappeared as she carefully took his hands. “This how all that happened?”

“In part. Rebecca kind of got messed up too.”

“That’s the newbie, right?”

“Definitely not one anymore.”

“Right.” She winced. “Can you at least tell me who passed? Kathy didn’t seem to know either.”

“Their bodies couldn’t be recovered from the scene so um…there’s been some issue with writing things up and preparing ceremonies for them. But it was no one you really knew. Except Captain Marini. You met him once. Right?”

“Maybe, not sure.”

“And Forest is still in the hospital. Looks like he’ll make it, but he’ll probably have to take an early retirement.” Which was awful, but if it gave him an easy out to get away from Raccoon City, then Chris hoped he would take it.

“Fuck Chris. I’m so sorry.”

“Just part of the job.”

“Sounds like this was a hell of a lot more than your average day though,” sighed Claire. “How’s Jill?”

He didn’t respond. He didn’t know what to say, though his sister seemed to pick up on that.

“Did something happen with Jill?”

“No. Yes. She’s fine. Maybe. Fuck, I don’t know.”

Claire did her best to try and read Chris’ tone. “You’re angry with her.”

“I wouldn’t call it that.”

“Upset?”

“Yeah.”

“Why-or does this have to do with the incident that recently happened?”

“Sort of. Even if I tried to explain what I could it just…it wouldn’t even make sense.”

“Well if you can’t talk to me about it, talk about it to the next best person who can give you advice.”

“And who is that?”

“Jill.”

Chris let out a long groan. “It’s not that simple—”

“I’m not saying it is. Hell, get mad with her. You both can yell at each other if it helps. But if you keep putting it off until you’re ready, well, I know you best Chris. You’re never going to think you’re ready.”

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I know I am. I got most of the brains.”

“You got all the brains considering you didn’t follow me into the air force.”

“Only because you got yourself kicked out before I could.”

“Jokes on you, I purposefully did all that so you wouldn’t enlist.”

“Well then why did you join in the first place?”

“It’s all part of a very secret, very high-tech plan that I’m sure I would bore you with if I explained all the details.”

“Uh huh.”

They both burst into laughter, the moment only cut short by the sudden inhale of breath from Chris as pain wracked through his chest.

Claire’s expression immediately softened. She took Chris’ hand again. “Shit, whoever did this did a number on you, huh?”

More like a what but…

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Can’t take any more pills for a few hours. Want to just watch a movie?”

“Sure. I guess no sparring or going to the firing range, huh?”

“We’ll save it for the next visit,” Chris smiled. “You would beat me easily at the shooting range right now.”

“I would beat you easily any day, but I am willing to give you a fighting chance.”

He laughed, though this time was more mindful to not let it get too loud. “Thanks.”

“So what do you want to watch?”

“You’re the guest. Up to you.”

Claire got up to look through his tapes before she plopped back down. For a split second, she turned serious again. “Talk to Jill, please? I don’t get to meet her enough, but it’s obvious she’s your best friend. Just…please?”

“I’ll try,” Chris promised.

“That’s all I’m asking.”

“I will. And I promise I won’t ignore your calls from now on.”

“You better fucking not,” she grumbled, though the smile was back. The Redfield siblings curled up together in the early afternoon and at least for a moment, Chris’ life felt a little normal.


	13. Chapter 13

So much had happened since the mansion incident.

With STARS’ numbers significantly reduced, especially with Rebecca and Chris on temporary medical leave and Forest looking more and more like he’d have to retire, everyone was getting worked to exhaustion. The only good thing about it was that if Edward and Richard noticed anything off, they chocked it up to the collective fatigue.

There seemed to be even more assignments for them. Some of them Wesker admitted were related to Umbrella dealing with the fallout at the mansion. A few were just poorly timed. And with everyone pulled in every direction, it was expected that not every mission would be a sounding success. Jill was especially upset at hearing Billy Coen, a convicted murderer and ex-marine, had escaped custody in those very mountains only a few days after the mountain incident.

Wesker had simply told the team, “We have other, more pressing matters within our jurisdiction to focus on. No need on thinking of Billy Coen as he is undoubtedly out of those mountains and gone by now.”

To Jill, he simply murmured, “Don’t let yourself get distracted. Being a cop comes second now.”

Jill gave a slight nod, the only sign of acknowledgement from her.

Immediately after the mansion incident, Wesker had his sunglasses back. It made Jill wonder if he had a case of them somewhere in his own apartment. But despite being unable to read his eyes, being stuck in this impossible situation with him must have increased her ability to read his body language and tone. He’d sounded almost concerned.

And then Jill understood why he would be concerned.

Because after several days of hell. After hours upon hours of work and almost no sleep and having to deal with Chris ignoring all her calls, amongst all of it, she was now about to enter Umbrella as an employee for the first time.

Wesker informed her of it on the day of and once they were finally alone in his car, she rounded on him. “Seriously? You couldn’t give me more of a warning!”

“Umbrella works on a need to know basis. It’s what’s kept a whistleblower from coming forward sooner. Nothing to whistle about if you only have about one percent of the picture.” Wesker glanced over and seemed to see that Jill wasn’t amused. He added, “I only knew we would be called in about an hour before I told you.”

“Seems like Col. Vladimir took my advice about a shorter lease,” snorted Jill.

“So it would seem. Irritable, but still a smart thing for you to say in the moment,” sighed Wesker. “You will not be asked to do much though. Introductions may or may not be made. You are simply a personal security detail for myself. Though depending on what those higher than me decide, you may be forced to escort others in between your work at STARS in the near future.”

“Hey, if it means I’ll get access to more information, the better.”

“As long as you are careful.”

“I know that fucking it up hurts a hell of a lot more people than just myself. I’ll be cautious.”

“Good. Because we are nearly there.”

Jill looked out the window and saw the General Hospital as they pulled into the parking lot. She wasn’t surprised considering Wesker had already told her the locations of the major entrances in the city. He’d also told the others a few days ago at Jill’s apartment. That had been the last time she’d talked to Chris, the man still refusing to answer his damn phone. God, she was going to have to force him to talk to her sooner or later. She knew it sucked, that he felt betrayed, but damn it. Couldn’t he just answer one phone call?!

But for the moment, Jill focused on the danger immediately in front of her.

She followed Wesker out of the car and into the hospital.

A few inconspicuous hallways, some smooth talking with those involved, a special key for the elevator, and suddenly—

Jill stepped onto the white floor of an Umbrella hallway, the logo carefully painted in red, white, and black against the wall. Otherwise, the place looked just like the hospital above, though if Jill had looked for any windows, she wouldn’t have found any this far below.

She followed Wesker closely. They stood out, both still in their work uniforms against what was mostly lab coats and pocket protectors. Though Jill did spot a couple of security personnel in all black with little Umbrella logos on their shoulders. Wesker didn’t look at any of them. He still hadn’t fully explained what they were doing here, only that Jill would be included. Would they meet Vladimir again? She hoped not. Though she’d fooled him once, she wasn’t so sure she could do it so successfully again. Even so, the guy was just creepy.

For now, she tried to focus on what Wesker was saying. However, not much information was given, and most people seemed to just be saying hello as they commented on Wesker’s reassignment. Jill wondered if any of them understood in full the events of the manor.

Jill and Wesker continued, passing through several labs, some type of garden area, and then into another lab where the scientist from before was, Will. This time he was a bit more clean shaven and his clothes more put together. He had a little name tag that said W. Birkin on it. Two of Umbrella’s security detail were busy packing up supplies and looked like they were about to move them.

“So she survived the screening process. Good, she can help them move that while you look at the progress I’ve made.”

“ _She_ is standing right here,” Jill retorted immediately.

“Valentine,” Wesker warned.

“Right, right. Quick introductions last time. I’m Dr. Birkin. You are one of our grunts. Now please. You are to help the men load those supplies.”

Jill scoffed.

Wesker just let out a tired sigh as Will turned away and walked into the next room. “He has always been…rather direct. Please pay no mind to it.”

“What? Like, you’re not rude as well?”

One of the security details, the one with messy hair let out a long whistle. Wesker glared at her.

“Right, sorry. Sir,” she added for good measure. This wasn’t a fun, meet some new work buddies kind of meeting. This was, we are both trying to outsmart an insanely massive, corrupt organization and if other Umbrella workers were going to order her around, then she better just follow it.

“Now help them. Return here when you’re done,” Wesker said as he walked over and put on a lab coat.

As he disappeared, the messy haired man spoke up again. “Anything the men and women in the lab coats say typically goes around here. Figures it would take a super cop to be ballsy enough to talk back.”

“Ballsy or stupid?” asked the other one, his hair silver despite how they looked close in age. He spoke with an accent similar to Col. Vladimir. Possibly Russian as well. “Nothing super about not following orders.”

“Just tell me what to do and I’ll get out of both your hairs. How’s that?”

“We don’t need you.”

“Now who’s not following orders?” grumbled Jill.

“My order is to take this shit to the transport pad. I don’t give a shit what you do.”

“Woah, calm down Nicholai,” snorted the other. “After dealing with the same sweaty guys day in and day out, you want to let a cool drink of water like this walk away?”

Jill was not amused. One look at Nicholai suggested he wasn’t either. She kind of hated agreeing with him. Instead of addressing it though, she just walked forward, hefted a box into her arms, and asked, “Where to?”

“See? Super cop.”

“Where to?” she repeated, trying not to get too annoyed.

“This way,” grunted Nicholai as he seemed to take advantage of her help, even if he didn’t want it. Or maybe it was just to get the other guy to shut up.

Jill quickly followed Nicholai. The other man had to play catch up and met them at an elevator. As they waited for the doors to open. The other man awkwardly held his hand underneath the boxes he was carrying.

“I’m Carlos. And I’m guessing February came early.”

Besides the fact that it would have been too difficult, Jill didn’t try to take his hand just because she didn’t want to. She just said, “What?”

“Cause Valentine’s Day came early this year.”

“That’s just my last name,” sighed Jill as the elevator doors opened. “And that was a terrible pick up line.”

“She has got you there my friend,” Nicholai replied.

“Hey! I thought it wasn’t half bad. So, Miss trying to deny the power of my pickup lines, what’s your first name?”

“More like immune to them. And it’s Jill.”

Carlos made a sound like a wounded puppy, though his expression showed he wasn’t actually hurt by her words. Nicholai just let out another bark of laughter and said, “Never mind. Anyone who refuses to put up with Carlos’ bullshit is a welcomed friend.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Jill replied.

Nicholai shot her a smirk. It didn’t hold any kind of warmth. She looked away.

“So how long do we get you and sunglasses guy?” asked Carlos.

So they didn’t know who Wesker was? Did these guys know anything? Know what Umbrella was and what they truly created? Or were they just grunts? Pure and simple?

“I don’t know,” Jill responded. “I suppose it depends on how long Dr. Birkin needs him. Or if new orders are given.”

The doors opened at that moment and Nicholai led the way. They packed up the boxes and then went back for a second time. Carlos tried to be a little chatty, but Jill just didn’t give him much. She wasn’t here to make friends. Besides, he was part of Umbrella. Part of this sick mass that was in every corner of Raccoon City. Jill automatically hated him for that. And even if he didn’t know what he was helping to protect, to transport? Well, then she hated him even more for being naïve. For having the opportunity to still be ignorant while she knew and understood how much terror and horror Umbrella was trying to produce.

Once done, Jill started to walk away. Thankfully, Nicholai didn’t follow. Carlos did though and forced his hand into the elevator.

“I already memorized the way back.”

“Yeah, but you need a keycard.” He slid his and then pressed the button for the right floor. His face softened for a second though and he said, “Listen, I didn’t mean to get on the wrong foot. I—”

“Just here to do a job. Unless you have to go back up as well, I suggest you leave.”

“Right. Sorry.” Carlos stepped back and allowed the doors to finally close.

He looked like he felt a little bad, and Jill almost felt bad as well for snapping at him. Almost. He was still a damn Umbrella grunt.

She went back up to the correct floor and managed her way back pretty easily. Thankfully, no one stopped her or questioned her being there. She got back to the lab area and stood there waiting. The door that Birkin and Wesker had gone through was closed now. She almost thought about trying it, but she doubted her interruption would have been taken well. She didn’t sit down though either, feeling too antsy to even try and get comfortable while in the hornet’s nest.

Some time passed. She started to pace. And finally—

Wesker stepped out. He thew away some gloves and put the lab coat back where he’d found it. Birkin wasn’t with him, presumably still in the lab. “Everything go smoothly?”

She nodded. “Just been waiting for you.”

“Apologies on the time it took. I had to converse with Dr. Wesker.”

Wait.

Jill looked at him hard. Did he mean a wife? Or a sibling? Did Wesker fucking have family? “There’s another…”

“There were thirteen in the Wesker Project. Myself, and the other Dr. Wesker, are the only two left. She’s currently working overseas but myself and Will were asked to discuss an issue she’s having with a different strain.” Wesker didn’t pause in his step, quickly walking out of the room and Jill following.

She didn’t say anything at first, her brain working quickly to take in the new information. Suddenly, she felt like she understood. Or was understanding better than before. This ran more deeply than simply making a dumb decision, working for Umbrella, and now wanting out. This was so much more.

They went to get Jill a level one security ID. Then they finally left the facility. Once out of the hospital, Jill asked, “Is Albert Wesker even your real name?”

“It’s the only one I’ve ever known,” he evenly replied.

So much information in such a small sentence. “And your friend? William Birkin?”

“He was not part of any project. But he was sought out very early on and I was assigned to the college he was at while completing my degrees. He knows this of course. Even with his issues in social communication, his work allows him a rather high clearance level.”

“I…I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“Just…the way you say it makes it sound like you’ve never had a choice.”

“We all have choices Jill. Mine have protected myself, and I have done those choices knowing that others could die because of them,” he calmly said. “But my life has been perfectly constructed by Umbrella as well, each move an assignment. So believe me when I say that I will ultimately be successful in my goals and not you, or Umbrella, will stop that. Understood?”

“Yeah. Understood,” murmured Jill. She wondered if he’d meant that to sound like a threat. She wasn’t sure, yet she still felt herself feeling something other than anger and betrayal and irritation towards Wesker. God, why did things have to be so much more complicated than black and white? Good and bad?

They drove in silence back to the station and Jill got out to go to her own car. Her badge for Umbrella stayed tucked under her clothes.

When she got home, she was too tired to take a shower and decided to do it in the morning. Before she passed out though, she tried calling Chris once more. Predictably, he didn’t answer, but that just meant Jill was even more certain that she would have to force a conversation. Though she wasn’t sure when she should do it. With that final thought, she rolled over and passed out.


	14. Chapter 14

Jill was prepared to finally barge into Chris’ home and demand they talk.

Color her surprised when he called her back and asked her to come over before she did.

Several more days had passed since her first visit into Umbrella. She was supposed to accompany Wesker back today for a third time. Still, she should have enough time to really talk to Chris like she wanted to. She arrived just after lunch, went into his apartment building, and knocked on the door. There was silence for a second. He was in. He had to be. She’d seen his car there, and she would have heard from one of the others if he’d gone out with them. And she couldn’t think of anyone outside of work that he might be with.

He wasn’t seriously ignoring her again, was he? Had he gone back on his word? Changed his mind after putting down the receiver?

Right as Jill was weighing whether she should go home, grab a lock picking kit, and break in, or simply kick the door open, a lock clicked from the other side.

Chris stood there and at least for a moment, things seemed normal. “Sorry. Was cleaning my hands. Got to be pretty fucking careful not to get an infection, you know?”

“It’s no problem. I totally get it. How are your hands? Your ribs and lungs?” The easy questions first. She would get to the harder ones when they weren’t still in the doorway.

“Better. Doc said I can go back to work in the next week if I want. But I would only be able to work a couple hours a day and do paperwork really. Can’t do any active duty for nearly a whole other month. Who knew a punctured lung took this damn long to heal, huh?”

“You’re lucky it was only that.”

“Yeah. Guess I am.”

They stood their awkwardly. Chris looked away for a second. He let out a pained sigh. Was it because of the healing wounds, or simply because he still didn’t want to interact with Jill? Well, at least it seemed it might not be the latter as he stepped to the side. Jill automatically stepped closer and noted that the couch had been made up like a bed. A sheet and extra pillow were thrown over it.

“I was going to call you over sooner, but my sister was visiting the last couple of days.”

“Oh. That’s fine. I mean, I know how important Claire is to—”

“That’s a lie,” groaned Chris.

“I-I’m sorry—”

“I mean it’s not. She was here. Left this morning. Just…I wasn’t going to talk to you. Or I wasn’t sure how or when and it was actually her who told me I needed to talk to you. She made me call you this morning before she left.”

“Well that explains where all the brains in your family went.”

“Claire would one hundred percent agree with you,” Chris said with a light chuckle. When his eyes focused on Jill again, she saw that he didn’t look quite as sad. “I’m sorry Jill.”

“Sorry? I should be the one apologizing. I—”

“You were doing what you had to. I knew that from the start, but I was angry and didn’t want to admit it.” They both automatically moved further into the apartment after the door had closed. They sat down on the couch.

“I was too upset too,” she said. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you in the hospital. If our roles were switched, I would have told everyone too.”

“Shouldn’t have.”

“No, but one of them would have figured something out. At least Barry definitely would have, and he would have raised hell until he figured out what was going on.”

They both managed to laugh at that, though it was a very strained laugh all the same. Chris let out another tired sigh. “I don’t know if I can return to work though. Even with the doctor’s sign off.”

“I don’t want to do this alone—”

“I just don’t know how you can deal with Wesker! He didn’t even try to hide it. Even admitted to knowing Barry’s house was bugged!”

“Yeah, that does make my skin crawl just thinking about it,” admitted Jill. “I hate to think of his girls’ privacy being invaded like that.”

“Exactly! And Wesker allowed it!”

“Now hang on—”

“Well he sure as shit didn’t stop it. He didn’t even try to apologize to Barry. Didn’t promise him he would get anything done about it either.”

“I know. But-I can’t believe I’m saying this-but maybe you should talk to him?”

“Wesker? Oh hell no!”

“Come on. Only a few days ago you were ignoring every call of mine.”

“Yeah, well I can admit that was kind of a shitty thing to do. But Wesker though? He works for them! Like actually works for them. Not the shit you’ve found yourself in.”

“He is trying to get out.”

“So? He could have just not joined in the first place!”

“I’m not sure he had that option.” At least Jill’s words had caught Chris off guard enough to quite him for a second. She quickly continued. “He hasn’t let a lot drop, but from what I’ve pieced together, he was practically born in Umbrella.”

Chris hesitated. He crossed his arms and grumbled, “So? There’s better fucking ways of getting out than selfishly trying to get those fucked up experiments out and sold to a different company.”

“Maybe. I don’t know. I’m not trying to defend him or anything. But he did save me.”

“When?”

“In the mansion. I know we stuck to mostly the facts when we were explaining everything, but when Captain Marini died, I probably would have died right alongside him. Wesker grabbed me though. Shielded me from that thing breaking out. He didn’t have to do that. Even with the embryos destroyed because of Marini, he still could have left and tried a different plan. I was the only loose end that he had after all. It probably would have been simpler for him to just get rid of me then and there. But he didn’t.”

“So? What’s your point?”

“That the Albert Wesker we grew to respect as our captain isn’t completely gone.”

Chris scoffed.

“Hey, I’m not saying he didn’t lie. I’m still pissed at him for a number of things. But he’s not some monster.”

“No, he just creates them.”

“Ok, not wrong there either. But could you please just see if you could somehow find a middle ground? I’m not saying even forgive him. Just don’t leave me. Please. Try to figure out a way that can keep you working, a way that you can deal with Wesker. If only for me.”

She watched as Chris’ face softened. She’d said the right thing. He quickly hugged her, though the grip wasn’t as strong as he normally would have gone for. “I won’t leave you,” he promised. “I was being a dick ignoring you before, but no. I’m not going to let you deal with all this shit without me.”

They moved away and Chris tiredly rubbed his eyes. “I don’t know if I can just talk to him today though.”

“Take what time you need to work up to it,” Jill replied, “and just tell me how it goes afterwards. Yeah?”

“I think I can do that.”

Jill sighed in relief. She would have to thank Chris’ sister next time she saw her. Jill suspected Claire had really helped Chris to get to this point. Things had gone faster than Jill had expected, and a quick glance at the clock told her she still had time.

She said, “I have to run right now, but you want to have dinner tonight?”

“Beer and TV?”

“That sounds wonderfully normal.”

They both smiled at that. Chris stood up with her and as they walked back across the living room, he asked, “Headed to work then?”

“The um…other one. But yes.”

Chris winced. “I wish I could be there with you.”

“Me too. But it’s safer this way.”

“What’s it like? Anything like the labs we saw?”

“Well, they’re obviously not run down or anything. Overall a lot newer and livelier. It is a little disheartening seeing just how fucking massive Umbrella is.”

“I can only imagine. And Wesker? Have you at least been able to keep tabs on what he’s doing?”

“Not as much as I would like. I’m not allowed in most of the labs, but at least he was upfront with the fact that they’re still working on strands of the T-virus and the G-virus. His role in their development has been greatly diminished though.”

“Wait, there’s a fucking second one?”

“Of the viruses as far as I know. There are other biological ideas that are being worked on in other labs though with different people and in different places around the world.”

“Fuck. So what you’re saying is that we’re not going to be able to do an undercover, month long mission, send all the evidence into the FBI, and then pack up and call it a day. Huh?”

“No. I…don’t know what the hell is going to become of this. But I’m in it for the long hall.”

Chris gave another small, half laugh. “Of course you’ve already decided that. You’re like a god damn hound dog. Once you got the scent, you just won’t let off.”

“Hell no. Will you stay with me even then? Even if it takes years?”

She watched Chris shudder at the thought. It was a fair reaction. They’d already seen so much horror, and she’d just asked him if he would willingly put himself through it all again and again until this was over.

“You don’t owe me anything Chris.”

“I know. Doesn’t matter though. I’ll follow you through hell. Yeah? Nothing you can do to stop it. We’re partners after all.”

“Damn straight.”

They clasped hands and pulled each other into a hug again. She felt Chris bend over a bit so he could rest his head against her shoulder. “I’ll call you when I talk to Wesker. Or after. Or later-fuck I don’t know. But I’ll still see you tonight?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Good luck.”

“Thanks. I need all of it I can get. See you later.”

“Later.”

Jill finally left Chris’ apartment. She headed back outside and quickly got in her car. Despite everything, she felt better having talked to Chris. Knowing that she still had him in her corner, that he didn’t really blame her, it took off a lot of stress that she hadn’t realized had been resting on her shoulders. She quickly pulled into the road but she didn’t immediately go towards the hospital. She was meant to meet Wesker there, but she actually had one more meeting before that.

She would probably tell Chris about it tonight if anything came of it. However, for now she wasn’t holding out too much hope.

That was because she was meeting with Carlos Oliveira.

After their first meeting, she’d only seen Carlos twice more. He’d been a lot more careful with what he said, clearly not wanting to get on the wrong foot with her more than he already had. However, on a whim, that last meeting Jill had asked if he wanted to get coffee. Her timing had been fairly lucky. Carlos and his unit were being stationed elsewhere. It was hard to say if they would be moved back to Raccoon City any time soon, but considering what Wesker had said about them, Jill decided to take a chance. If the man was as naïve as Jill suspected, then he could possibly be an important ally.

Jill arrived a few minutes late. It didn’t matter too much though considering Carlos got there even later than her. It was weird seeing him in civilian clothes, no all black uniform or bullet proof vest.

His more resigned attitude was gone, immediately acting like the flirty puppy she’d met on the first day.

Jill tried not to roll her eyes right out of her head when he said, “I knew no one could resist the Carlos charm.”

“This is business. Not fun,” sighed Jill.

“Could be both?”

“Don’t get your hopes up.”

“Ah, come on. There’s no telling when we’ll be asked to come back to Raccoon City. Got to make the most of the moment. Yeah?”

“That we can agree on. Though I suspect we have different ideas about what making the most of this means.”

“Oh?”

And from there, at least from Carlos’ perspective, they likely had a very strange, very vague conversation. As it went on, Jill became more certain that he was naïve of Umbrella, and not simply the world’s best liar. When Jill looked to the nearest clock, she abruptly ended the conversation with, “I need to get to work.”

“Hang on. You haven’t exactly explained anything. I still don’t quite get what this was all about.”

“That’s alright. I’ll see you around perhaps.”

“Perhaps?”

“Yes, perhaps,” Jill calmly said. She walked off before Carlos could ask more.

There was a chance her gamble wouldn’t get her anywhere. Either Carlos wouldn’t try and look. Maybe they just wouldn’t ever cross paths again. But it was possible. If it did pay off, then perhaps Carlos could be some much needed support, especially if Wesker did ever betray them again. Just because she’d talked about how Wesker had saved her didn’t mean she fully trusted him.

Once at the hospital, she met Wesker at the special elevator that led down into the labs.

“You were almost late.”

“I was talking to Chris.”

Wesker hummed softly as they stepped in. He slid his keycard and they went down. “That’s good. He needs to keep his head on straight if he’s to move past what happened.”

Jill made a noise of agreement but didn’t try to say more. They rode the elevator in silence as Jill’s mind went back to Carlos and what hopefully would come of their meeting.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait but thank you for everyone who is continuing to read this. Hope you enjoy!

Having a normal meal with Jill, watching late night sitcoms with a few beers, it felt good. It helped Chris to finally breath. He hated how they couldn’t end it like that though. He hated how Jill double checked if he really would contact Wesker and reminded him of all the shit that was going on. He didn’t want to be reminded of it. He didn’t want to think of the horrors he’d seen, of how Wesker had been a part of it. He still was in fact! The guy was still working on his precious fucking T-virus all while the rest of STARS could only sneak around and hope Umbrella didn’t put a bullet in any one of their heads while they slept.

The next day, Chris thought about not calling Wesker. He thought about calling him and saying he was quitting then and there instead.

But then he thought of Jill. Of Barry. At the very least, he had to try for them. He couldn’t abandon either of them or the rest of STARS for that matter.

It was that final thought that had him calling his captain’s number. He’d always known it, just in case, but had never needed to call it. Still, even as the phone rang, Chris hoped Wesker wasn’t home. Maybe…just maybe…

“This is Albert Wesker speaking.”

A soft, shuddering breath escaped Chris. He hadn’t heard Wesker’s voice in days, almost weeks. Even now, it still hurt to hear that familiar tone. Once a comfort, now it caused anxiety to rise in Chris’ chest as he tried to muster up the courage to say anything. Instead, Wesker spoke again.

“Ah, Chris. I suspected you would call sooner or later.”

He tried not to immediately get irritated. How the hell did Wesker know? Chris managed to get out, “We need to talk.”

“My thoughts exactly. Dinner, tonight.”

“Wh-no! No, I said fucking talk! We can talk now. I’m not—”

“Talking over the phone gives you too much of an out. You get upset, you’ll hang up before we’re done.”

“No I fucking won’t!”

“You’re thinking of doing it right now.”

“No!” Yes. Yes, he very much was. He thought of slamming the receiver down then and there, packing his bag, and leaving all this shit behind. But Jill. Barry. Rebecca and Brad and everyone. He couldn’t forget them.

Wesker let out an unamused sigh. “Well, either way, what we have to discuss will likely be more successful in person.”

“Then we can do it at my house. And we’re not having fucking dinner like this is normal or some shit.”

“I can’t do that I’m afraid. I currently have responsibilities that keep me from leaving my place for an extended period of time. You’ll come to mine.” Wesker said his address before Chris could even stop him.

“Then we can do it another fucking night. I’m not—”

“On second thought, I’ll pick you up. You are still healing after all.”

“No! No I still haven’t even said—”

“Chris, you are either in or you’re not. What is it going to be?” There was a hardness in Wesker’s voice now.

It made Chris realize this was it. He really had to decide. Was he going to help his friends? Stick by their side? Or just leave?

Chris let out another long, shuddering breath. Rebecca’s hands on his flashed through his mind. The Tyrant coming. His body wedged between the partially opened elevator doors. That feeling of weightlessness as that one massive claw reached for him, almost had him as the elevator fell and left him temporarily suspended.

He’d seen some combat while enlisted. It had never affected him like this. Maybe it was because the mansion had been the first time he’d thought he would actually die. That it had hit him that he might never see the sun rise again. His sister, his apartment, Raccoon City. Or maybe it was because of the unnatural horror of it all. The experimentation. How personal it was, knowing Wesker, his captain, a man he had trusted, was in part the cause of it all.

Or maybe it was because this was the first time he had personally lost someone in the line of duty. Captain Marini and the others. Forest had been left permanently maimed.

Whatever the reason, Chris could feel himself going into a cold sweat. Ironically, the thing that broke him out of it was the voice of the one that had started all this.

“Chris. Are you in, or are you out?”

“I’m in,” he whispered.

“I’ll pick you up at five. I’ll see you then.”

Wesker hung up before Chris could respond. For a moment, he wondered how Wesker would know where he lived, but he was his superior after all. He could easily look it up. Or maybe he already knew. Knew all their addresses just in case if someone’s place needed to be bugged like Barry’s. Chris didn’t know if that had been fixed yet or not. He would have to ask Wesker about that.

With another tired sigh, Chris finally set the receiver down.

Since it was a while before five, Chris went to bed and tried to take a nap. However, it didn’t exactly ease his nerves, a nightmare launching him awake two hours before Wesker was supposed to come by. He took a shower and got dressed. Still over an hour before Wesker was supposed to be there.

Chris started pacing around his apartment.

He wished he could do some sit-ups or pushups. Something at least a little more physical, but his broken ribs still needed to heal. That left pacing and worrying, his mind unable to stop from wandering. Because of that, when the knock occurred, he couldn’t help but jump. Had he really been pacing that long? One look at the clock told him he had.

With a tired sigh, he walked to the door and opened it. For the first time, he realized he’d never seen Wesker not in his uniform. Whenever Barry had invited everyone over, it had always seemed to be right after work so most everyone had still been in their uniforms. It made Wesker seem more human. Chris hated it all the more right now.

“Ready to go?” questioned Wesker.

No. “Yes,” sighed Chris. He picked up his keys from the side table. He walked out and locked the door behind him. He looked up and Wesker was already walking away. Chris followed. Were they going to start now? Chris would prefer it. He wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible. But Wesker remained silent as they went downstairs and out to his car. Chris didn’t know what to say so he just crossed his arms after getting in.

For a moment, there was pure silence besides the noise of the car and the muted tones of traffic around them. The AC ran full blast in the early July heat. After only two minutes, Chris found himself shivering. His eyes constantly flitted around. He looked to Wesker’s profile, his bright blue eyes that gave nothing away.

Once, they had brought forth so much curiosity in Chris.

Now fear blossomed forth instead.

Chris turned his attention to outside. To Raccoon City and the people that either willingly or unknowingly worked for Umbrella. He thought of the labs underneath the very streets they were on and the monsters they were creating just for a fucking profit—

“I understand the wish to do this at your place. Or even a neutral ground perhaps,” Wesker said. The words got Chris out of his head as he focused on his captain. “No matter what Jill has said to you, you still don’t trust me. That is perfectly understandable. However, I really couldn’t be gone from my home for an extended period of time, and I suspect we have much to talk about.”

“We could have just fucking postponed then.”

“And risk you backing out? I think not.”

“I said I was in,” whispered Chris. “I meant it.”

Wesker didn’t argue. Instead, he simply said, “I see from the circles under your eyes that you haven’t been sleeping consistently. In order to get you back into active duty as soon as possible, you need to take care of all aspects of your health. And if food is an issue, I can make sure your meals are more in keeping to a healthy—”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t act like you still fucking care. Please.”

Wesker laughed. Actually fucking laughed as his lips twisted into a half smile. “It is remarkable how similar you and Jill think at times. I have always cared about your performance Chris. I consider you my best man for a reason.”

“You work for Umbrella!”

“I am rather skilled at multitasking. I can do both,” Wesker calmly replied.

Chris just glared back before quickly looking away. “I don’t know how Jill puts up with you.”

“If you think she is completely at ease, you would be mistaken. She keeps as close an eye on me as she can. Rather smart considering the circumstances. However, the way you both have dealt with the events of Umbrella and the mansion simply highlights the differences in your personalities. Jill is good at compartmentalization. You are not.”

“Compart-what the hell do you mean by that?”

“I mean that Jill has dealt with the trauma or has at least effectively set it aside to deal with later. She is able to function normally and effectively in both her job at STARS and in her new place at Umbrella. You, on the other hand, are clearly affected by this as your physical appearance and sound in your voice shows your sleep schedule is not as consistent as it should be. I’m assuming there are nightmares.”

A vision of him failing to get to Rebecca flashed through his mind. That particular dream had almost disappeared from his memory, but that small scene in it became startling real all of a sudden. The young rookie screaming. Her chest ripped open as Chris was unable to save her. The imagery was so vivid that Chris couldn’t come up with a response. He remembered his cry had woken up Claire too. That it had almost convinced her to stay longer. He still wasn’t sure how he’d done it, but he was thankful she’d already left Raccoon City again.

“I think Jill was right. This should do you quite a bit of good.”

“Hang on. What did Jill say?”

“Simply that us having a conversation would do you some good. Put things into perspective as it were. And if you’d like, you can ask me anything in regards to what happened to you and Rebecca. It could help.”

“I don’t want to talk about that shit.”

“Very well. Though I would advise otherwise. Ah, and here we are.”

Wesker pulled into a driveway, turned off the car, and promptly got out. Chris followed a little more slowly, taking in the nice house as they had driven from the heart of the city to the suburbs. It now made even more sense why Wesker had never invited anyone over or told anyone where he lived. No way he could afford a place like this as a cop, even within their special division.

As Chris got out of the car, he muttered, “Fucking Umbrella money.”

“Not quite.”

He startled. “What do you mean?”

“If you think I have a hefty salary and chose this place to live, that is incorrect. This particular street houses many Umbrella operatives over varying degrees of importance, though all of us here are above clearance level three at least. It gives Umbrella an easy way to keep track of their people. Or dispose of us if they so wish.”

Chris jolted again at that. Wesker said it so calmly, like he was somehow used to this? How could anyone grow used to living with such a threat over their head? Chris immediately assumed it was because Wesker’s greed overshadowed everything else. Only…he didn’t actually know that. But he couldn’t bring himself to feel sympathetic. Not yet. It still hurt too much. The wounds were too fresh. Instead, he just stayed silent as he followed Wesker to the front door and—

“You came back Uncle Albert.”

“As I have told you before, if I say we are having dinner, we are having dinner. I will never break a promise to you.”

Chris could only stare at the scene in front of him. The door had opened before they’d gotten to it, revealing a young girl with sad eyes and blonde hair. Chris rapidly looked from her features to Wesker’s. The only reason he didn’t automatically assume was because she’d called him uncle. But did Wesker really— Did he actually have some kind of family—

By that point, Wesker had already walked inside and Chris quickly followed. Wesker gestured towards Chris as he closed the door. “Sherry, this is Chris Redfield. He’s one of the officers I work with and will be joining us for dinner.”

“I’m not eating.” The words came out as a whisper, Chris still in shock over all this.

“Very well. But he will be joining us. Is your homework done?”

“Not yet. I had a question.”

“Go get your notes then. I’ll be finishing preparations for dinner in the kitchen.”

As Sherry hurried off, Wesker finally focused back on Chris again. He was clearly amused by Chris’ shocked face as he said, “She isn’t mine.”

“I got that.” At least he’d figured. Just…

“She’s the daughter of a dear friend of mine. I mentioned his and his wife’s name in the briefing I gave you and the rest of STARS at Jill’s place. Will and Annette Birkin.”

The words came out right away. Chris couldn’t help but jump to the conclusion. “Are you blackmailing them?”

“Hardly. William actually blackmails me to watch over her. It would either be this or another countless night alone. As much as I care for Will, he and Annette can get caught up in their work quite a bit. I’m afraid Sherry is quite neglected beyond the nights she occasionally spends here.”

And with that, Wesker was walking away. Chris could only follow him into the open kitchen/dining room as he forced his mouth closed and tried to get the dumbfounded expression off his face.

He looked around instead. He wasn’t sure if he would have picked up on it if Wesker hadn’t said anything but now…yeah. This looked like a house that should be on the market. Maybe up for an open house or on HGTV. Everything was nice but plain. There was no sense of real personality. It almost looked like Wesker didn’t even live here. Considering how much time he spent at the station-and probably those fucking labs-Chris supposed that was true. But no, despite it having doors and a solid roof, this place didn’t feel like a real home.

Before Chris could figure out how he felt about that, try to decide if he could even feel a smidge of sympathy for his captain, Sherry was back in the picture and Chris could only silently watch. The dumbfounded look quickly came back.

After a bit of pained standing and some urging from Wesker, Chris sat at the dining room table. He didn’t exactly add anything to the conversation that was going on though as Wesker started to cook and Sherry asked questions. They were mainly based around science homework with a few math ones thrown in too.

It was utterly domestic.

Normal.

Even though Wesker didn’t really speak any differently to Sherry despite her being a child, there was an added level of explanation to his words that he never would have done with another adult. She clearly adored him too, though that sadness never fully left her eyes. Possibly because of her parents? The neglect Wesker had mentioned?

Chris wasn’t positive. He could only continue his silent musings as he just kept watching. It seemed at least for now, he wouldn’t be able to get to the crux of the issue with Wesker. However, he was eventually pulled into the conversation as Wesker said, “I know how you wish I would add more inflection and imagery when describing my days. Perhaps Chris can entertain you more. He is a much better storyteller than me.”

Chris quickly found Sherry’s eyes on him. “Can you tell me about yourself? Uncle Albert’s other co-workers?”

“U-um, yeah. Sure,” murmured Chris.

And like that, Chris somehow found himself going through what had once been a normal day for STARS. Wesker finished cooking dinner and though he set a plate in front of Chris, he didn’t touch it. Instead, he was mainly the one talking with Sherry occasionally asking more questions or redirecting the conversation into another avenue of police work. She was soft spoken but incredibly curious. Very sweet. Despite how Chris wished he could just talk to Wesker, get all this over with, and then go home, he didn’t mind talking to the kid.

At least…

Right up until…

They were gone.

Captain Marini.

Joseph.

Kenneth.

The people he was talking about. Those normal days that were now ripped from him.

It was gone.

It was all gone and though Chris hadn’t been told, he just knew it. He could hear it in his ears as his heart started to pound erratically in his chest.

His co-workers, his friends, even the tough as nails Enrico Marini, all of them had died _screaming_ and Chris could hear it, his mind creating the sounds of his friends dying in horrific, gruesome ways that just wouldn’t leave his mind.

Wesker said something to Sherry, but the words were like static in Chris’ ears as he continued to stare at the untouched plate of food. The kid got up. Wesker got up too. Chris had no idea where they were, if they were even still in the same room as him. It didn’t really matter as all other sensations faded to the back of his mind. Despite the nightmares, the way his mind had felt so conflicted and betrayed in the past few days, this was the first time that it really all hit him.

It was the first time that he was allowing himself to cry over them and it made it completely fucking real.

He sat there for god knew how long. Tears streamed down his face as his shoulders shook. All other sensations remained muted. At least up until he felt the hand touch his shoulder and he suddenly remembered exactly where the hell he was and who the hell he was with.

Chris froze as he finally turned to look up at his friend, his enemy, his captain and betrayer all rolled up into one person.

And Chris still had no idea how he was supposed to feel.


	16. Chapter 16

Wesker’s first words after Chris’ breakdown were as calm and as even as ever.

“Are you ready to talk now?”

Chris shuddered. The motion was from the pain of openly crying with still healing fractures, from being touched by Wesker, even from wishing for more human contact and hating that all he had was his captain at the moment. But his heart had finally calmed. He nodded but said, “Is Sherry…”

“I sent her to her room.”

“Can I see her? Just for a moment?”

The confused look on Wesker’s face would have made Chris laugh in almost any other situation. As it stood, he remained silent. He waited until Wesker said, “Yes. This way.”

Chris quickly wiped at his face. He followed Wesker to the second floor where they paused at a closed door. Wesker lightly wrapped his knuckles against the wood. He waited until she said come in and then opened the door. It looked like a stereotypical guest bedroom, though it looked a little more personal with Sherry’s open backpack of schoolwork and a stuffed animal lying on the bed. Wesker moved back a bit, giving Chris the opportunity to say what he needed to.

“Hey.” God, his throat sounded terrible. Had he been openly sobbing too? Possibly. He cleared his throat. “Hey, I just wanted to say I was sorry.”

“Sorry?”

“I didn’t mean to breakdown. And I didn’t want you to think it was anything you said! It was really nice talking to you. Just…work has been stressful.”

“I understand,” she murmured. Chris imagined she actually understood much better considering her parents worked for Umbrella and apparently the responsible caretaker was Wesker of all people. “I’m glad you came over though.”

Chris wasn’t sure if he was. Not yet. But at least in regards to Sherry, he didn’t regret meeting her. “Me too. It was good meeting you Sherry. Gotta go talk work with your Uncle Albert so if I don’t see you again, night.”

“Good night,” she replied, her lips finally moving up into a small smile.

“Did you brush your teeth?” asked Wesker.

She nodded.

“Good. Cartoons until eight and then it’s bedtime.”

“Ok. Night Uncle Albert.”

“Sleep well Sherry. Get me if you need anything.”

Wesker closed the door again as Chris moved back. They started to automatically move downstairs but once they were well away from Sherry’s door, Wesker said, “Thank you.”

The words, the way Wesker said them, it was all so shocking. “You actually care about her.”

“Yes,” Wesker calmly said.

“You never struck me as the kind of person who would want children.”

“I don’t want children.”

“Could have fooled me. Who knows. Maybe you already have a kid out there.”

Though Chris couldn’t tell, he imagined Wesker had just rolled his eyes hard at that. “Do not jinx me Chris.”

Chris snorted. It felt good. For just a second, this felt like before. But then Chris’ chest tightened and the reality of the current situation came back. It wasn’t as bad as before, but the pain was still there. He didn’t say anything else as they arrived in the kitchen again. Chris sat down back at his place.

“If I warm this in the microwave, will you please eat now?” asked Wesker.

Chris hesitated. Before, he’d said no because he was just being difficult. Because he’d hated Wesker forcing him into this uncomfortable situation rather than speaking in an environment more comfortable to Chris. Now he’d cried so much that he wasn’t sure if his stomach could take it. He mutely shook his head.

“Water at least. You need to rehydrate yourself.”

That he could agree with. He gratefully accepted the glass when Wesker set it in front of him. Wesker then took the plate, wrapped it up, and placed it in the fridge. Then he sat on Chris’ right. He was silent, seemingly deciding that Chris could choose how he wanted to start this. Chris took several more sips and wiped at his eyes again.

Plenty of different things could be said. Many of the thoughts in Chris’ head were accusatory, angry. He did his best to force those thoughts down though. Instead of straight up assuming and accusing Wesker, he simply asked, “Did you ever care about them? Any of them?”

“Their deaths were regrettable. They were fine officers.”

Chris let out a tired sigh. “But do you even care?”

“I consider very few people friends, so not like you I imagine. But yes, those deaths did affect me.”

“You have a funny fucking way of showing it.”

“Just because I do not openly cry like you does not mean I don’t care. Just as how Jill did not have to have an emotional breakdown for you to already understand that she cares. We all have different ways of dealing with events. I learned long ago that crying does little, for me or for any change around me.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to try and give me some sob story about your parents being bastards or something.”

“Hardly. I am not interested in your sympathy. But I will answer any questions you have if you think talking on this will make it easier for us to work together again.”

“How do I know you won’t just tell me lies?”

“You can’t. Except for my word. I can’t say I won’t ever lie to you again, either for your benefit, my own, or some other reason. Sometimes the truth is not the best course of action. But—” And at that moment Wesker removed his sunglasses. He folded them in front of him so that he and Chris could truly see eye to eye. “—in this moment? I will answer everything as truthfully as I can.”

For a moment, they just stared at each other. It reminded Chris of the last time Wesker had dropped the glasses. An event that had happened before all hell broke loose. An event that Chris hadn’t even told Jill about and which now caused his chest to constrict painfully. But seeing Wesker now with that intense, unwavering gaze, it was better than nothing. It was at least the most assurance that he had that Wesker wouldn’t lie, at least not in this instance.

“Did you have bastard parents?”

“I don’t know. I was removed from them quite early on.”

“God fucking-don’t tell me…” Chris trailed off.

Wesker just arched an eyebrow, completely unfazed and waiting.

“Don’t tell me that Umbrella raised you or some shit.”

“No. They simply created a role and I happened to be one of the most successful candidates.”

A noise escaped the back of Chris’ throat. Was Wesker being serious? He looked fucking serious. But how the hell was he supposed to respond to that?

“I repeat, I am not looking for sympathy. If it helps, there were certainly times someone with a stronger moral code might have tried to leave. I simply value my own life above most other things. That meant following the course Umbrella had set out for me, at least for a certain time. If you need to know, I understand people have been hurt because of my actions. I know you have been hurt. It is regrettable, but I would change little if it suddenly meant outing myself to Umbrella any sooner.”

“So if there’s even any threat, why risk leaving?”

“Because freedom of choice is one of the few things I believe is worth risking my life for. I am tired of having my work being used by incompetent people and once Umbrella puts their biological weaponry on the open market, the world will change forever. I don’t trust Umbrella to do that successfully.”

Chris couldn’t help letting out a tired, dry chuckle. “Makes it almost sound like you’re doing this for the betterment of humanity.”

“Hardly. But an apocalyptic fallout benefits very few, except perhaps the shareholders and I am certainly not a fan of theirs.”

The response actually eased Chris a bit. It made him trust Wesker’s words, at least right now, a little more. He was being open. Honest. And he wasn’t trying to sugar coat things in a way that Chris would prefer to hear. Still, it made Chris’ feelings more complicated and he said just that. “It’s easier to think of you as a monster.”

“I can’t argue with that. If thinking of me like that is easier for you, then so be it. However, I need to make sure we can still work together whether you see me as a monster or not.”

Could he? Chris had said he would try. He wouldn’t abandon the rest of STARS. He looked to the table for a moment, breaking eye contact as a tired sigh escaped his lips. “Why me?”

“Care to clarify? Or am I to assume what you mean by that?”

“You know what I mean,” Chris replied. His fists tightened a bit. “Just why?”

“Well, despite your beginning issues with subordination, I could see a fine officer in the making. At the very least, you have to agree I never half assed my assigned role as the leading captain of STARS.”

“I guess. But why—”

“I am human. I did not single you out as some overly complex form of manipulation. If you believe that what happened never had and this would all be easier for you, then I do regret it though.”

“It wouldn’t have been easier.”

“No?”

“It was more than a fucking office fumble Wesker! It was always more!”

Chris let his head drop into his hands. After the mansion, he’d tried to ignore that memory. He had pushed it to the back of his mind, tried to believe it hadn’t actually happened. Because he hated himself for it. He hated that he’d never seen the truth. He hated that he’d been attracted at all, that Jill had urged him on. It was why he’d first been so confused when Jill and Wesker had been hiding their true intentions. Because yeah, he’d felt a bit betrayed by Jill’s sudden one-eighty, but Wesker’s as well, not that Chris had told anyone.

But whatever it had meant to his captain, it had always meant more to Chris. Even if that stolen moment at work had ended up being the only development.

“I looked up to you! I trusted you with everything! To have my back! To have STARS’ back! I tried to be better for you! I listened to everything you said. Every lesson, every recommendation, all of it taken to heart. And you’re honestly confused why this is so fucking hard for me!?”

When their eyes met again, all Chris saw was calm contemplation. Once, such gazes had always impressed him. Made him wonder how someone could hold so much control. Now it infuriated him as he watched Wesker cock his head to the side. He carefully looked Chris over. “You’re right,” he finally said. “I never intended for you to find out about my role within Umbrella. Because of that, I never thought of the issues that could arrive from this. Neither did I see how important our relationship was to you. An oversight on my part.”

“A fucking oversight,” growled Chris. “I used to like how confidant you were. You know? Now all I see is a full of himself piece of shit.”

“Well, it’s not an entirely wrong conclusion to make,” drawled Wesker.

“Stop being amused by this.”

“You can’t simply tell me to stop how I feel in this situation Chris. In many respects, it is painfully amusing. And in others, with the gift of hindsight on my side, there are some actions I regret. Not all that you would likely hope for, but regret nonetheless.”

“And now? What’s your goal? And don’t fucking lie to me.”

“To get out of Umbrella, as I’ve stated before.”

“But there’s more there. If there’s one thing that I still am certain about, it’s that you’re always planning ten steps ahead. So what? You’re going to get some new embryos? Sell them to another company? Work for them?”

“Possibly. If a more promising prospect comes out of this, I might follow that path. My goals are not to simply cause chaos and destruction after all. I abhor that in fact. I simply wish for my freedom to choose. Whether or not my choice leads me to a morally wrong or morally right conundrum is obviously a concern of yours, but I will be honest and say it is much less a concern of mine.”

Chris slowly breathed in through his nose. When he released it, he whispered, “Then know that if we’re working together again, I’ll be keeping eyes on you too. If I find out you are following something that I don’t agree with, then I will do everything in my power to stop you.”

“An unwavering heart of gold,” mused Wesker. “I always did admire that about you.”

“Oh please—”

“I mean it. As someone who doesn’t have such a strict moral compass, I can see how much easier it is to live without it. Considering the extra pain you put your heart through, you and Jill for that matter, it is incredibly admirable that you continue to fight at all. I’m proud you’ve decided to.”

“I don’t want your approval. Not anymore.”

“Well, you have it either way. Now, unless there are any other questions, I can take you home now.”

“Have you removed the bugs from Barry’s house?” It was off topic considering the conversation as a whole, but Chris needed to know.

“Not yet, but Jill can attest to the fact that I am trying.”

It was better than nothing. Chris dropped his head again. He was just so fucking exhausted. “Then please. Just take me home.”

“Alright.” They both stood up. “And I know you’ve been approved to return to work, but I recommend waiting until you are fully ready and allowed to go back onto active duty.”

“Because you care about my wellbeing,” Chris sarcastically muttered.

“Yes, and you will continue to heal faster without the stress of work, even if it would only be boring office work for a few more weeks.”

“Fine. Yeah. Whatever. I sure as hell wouldn’t have been able to just go into work tomorrow or something. Not after tonight.”

Wesker nodded in agreement. They both turned silent as Chris was left at the door. Wesker went to tell Sherry he would be right back, and then soon they were both in Wesker’s car again and driving farther into the heart of the city. They didn’t talk again until Wesker was pulling into a parking space in front of Chris’ apartment building.

“I am sorry,” Wesker finally said. “I did not realize just how much our interaction would—”

“Not right now. Please.”

“Very well. Good night Chris.”

And with that, Chris got out and Wesker drove away. Chris made his way back to his apartment. Once inside, he went straight to his bed and collapsed on it. For a moment, the memories of that moment came back. It had happened right after that first zombie like attack but before shit had really gotten serious. It had just been a moment, built on mutual attraction, the catalyst of stress and needing a release adding to Chris finally making a move when they’d had a moment alone.

He’d done so much more than just look up to Wesker and it made his heart hurt all the worse because of it. He didn’t want to continue thinking about it, but sleep would probably just lead to more bad dreams right now. Instead, he finally rolled over and called Rebecca who he’d been ignoring for far too long. He would call Barry afterwards or tomorrow morning too. Since he was officially back in, that meant making sure his teammates were doing ok and helping them in any way he could.

Rebecca answered after the second ring.

“Rebecca Chambers speaking.”

“Hey, it’s Chris.”

“Oh! It’s so good to hear from you. I wanted to come by but wasn’t sure if that would be too much.”

“No, no. I should have called back sooner. How are you?”

“Good. Well, I mean as good as possible anyways. I’m going back to work in just a couple of days. I’m guessing you still need longer though.”

“Yeah, at least a few more weeks. It doesn’t hurt as much though.”

“That’s good.”

“Do you want to have lunch tomorrow? Or sometime before you go back?”

“That would be great Chris.”

“You can come over to my place if you’d like.”

“You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all. Just have to clean a bit.”

“You really wouldn’t have to.”

Chris chuckled. “Well I sure as hell am not letting you see it in its natural state.”

She laughed in return and they continued to talk plans. Chris asked how the last few days had been, getting a bit more information about the others as well. It all helped to ground him and at least while he talked with Rebecca, his conflicting feelings on Wesker and his past thoughts could be pushed back for a bit. He could breath again. He was going to be ok.

And he sure as shit was ready to fight beside his friends in order to stop Umbrella.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now it's back to Jill! This was a really fun chapter to write. Hope you enjoy!

It seemed that as one thing fell into place, something else just had to come in and throw everything off for Jill. However, the sudden change wasn’t something that she could really get upset about.

Chris was finally talking to her again. He’d talked to Wesker, though she didn’t know how well that had gone. Whatever had happened between them, he was willing to come back to work again. He was talking to Rebecca, Brad, calling the others up to check in on them. That was good at least. Rebecca was back as well. Her hands were healed and she was approved for active duty though she was still taking it easy. Having the medic back eased some of the work and Jill was glad to have her in the field again.

But then about a week before Chris would finally be coming back himself, Barry walked into the STARS office and dropped a letter on Wesker’s desk.

“I quit.”

Jill eventually found out he’d talked to Chris first before filling out the paperwork. She’d expected Chris to be upset over the sudden decision. Though she was close with Barry, Chris had known him longer. They were practically family. However, in retrospect it made sense. Barry was the only one of them that had kids, little ones who were completely dependent on him. Protecting them came first. It always did. Barry wanted his wife and children out of Raccoon City and he was determined to have it done. Jill imagined that if Wesker had said no, Barry would have packed up their bags and left in the middle of the night if he had to.

However, Wesker had simply glanced at the signed forms and then said, “The past weeks have shown that the psychological stress of the job has taken too great a toll on you for you to continue performing your job adequately. You will be let go with full benefits.”

It was an action that Wesker hadn’t been forced to take. He could have easily just said fine and let Barry walk out the door. Or could have been a massive dick and fought him on it. And to be fair, there was a part of Barry that probably didn’t want the money if only for pride and because they all knew it was partially funded by Umbrella. But Barry hadn’t mentioned any of that. He’d thanked Wesker and had agreed to take it. He had two kids and a wife after all who were being ripped from their home with very little warning. He would need all the help he could get before he found his footing again.

So now Barry was gone, though he hadn’t left the city yet. He’d promised Chris and Jill and the others he would tell them before then. One last goodbye with the promise to keep in contact where they could.

Jill would miss him, but it was the best decision for him and his family. Besides, as it looked like Barry was getting his out, a new person might just be added to their little resistance.

She honestly hadn’t expected Carlos’ unit to make a return so quickly.

However, she still knew little of their purpose inside Umbrella and if reassigning them was a common occurrence. Either way, she saw him again while working with Wesker. Before she had a chance to say anything, he had an arm around her shoulder and a grin on his face.

“Looks like you got lucky. You didn’t have to live in a Carlos-less world for too long.”

“Lucky? Is that what you call it?” Jill dryly replied as she brushed his arm off. Despite backing off before, he was acting a lot flirtier again. It was similar to their first meeting.

“Hell yeah. Greatest tragedy there could be,” he chuckled. “You want to grab coffee again? I’ll pay. Think of it as an apology for being so late last time.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary—”

“Come on super cop. I get you’ve got enough star power to lead a show solo, but you can accept one cup of coffee. Yeah?”

Jill looked at him curiously. She wondered if anything she’d said in their last meeting had gotten through to him. If it had, then obviously they couldn’t talk about it here. She hoped that he had searched. That he was warry now and this was just a way to get them talking outside of Umbrella and not just a reason for him to continue his ridiculous flirting.

“Ok. Yeah,” Jill slowly said. “Same place?”

“Sure. Unless you know anywhere that’s better.”

“Not for coffee. It’s already pretty late today though. Tomorrow? Say around three?”

“Works for me. And hey, maybe I could get your number so I can warn you if I’m going to be late.”

“Do you really think I’m that stupid?” Jill asked. Ruse or no ruse, she could easily his reasoning for asking for her number.

“Hey, a guy can dream. Three o’clock tomorrow. Got it.”

At that moment, his commanding officer Viktor had come around the corner. Carlos excused himself and Jill watched as he straightened his back a little and kept his voice more professional. Jill could almost hear his voice in her head saying something like, how can I be professional around a pretty thing like you.

She rolled her eyes at the mere thought. Jesus what a character. She really hoped it would turn out he’d found something and wasn’t completely clueless of the situation.

With Carlos clearly occupied, Jill returned to Wesker and waited until he and Dr. Birkin were done before following Wesker back to the elevator. Before they left though, she heard Wesker sigh and agree to something Birkin had asked. Jill couldn’t help but ask about it as they stepped into the elevator by themselves.

“You’re babysitting.”

“Sherry is quite capable of taking care of herself. I simply help so she is not burdened at such a young age,” Wesker simply replied. He glanced towards Jill. “Why?”

She picked up on his tone easily. “What? You think I’m going to try and use her as leverage? Unlike you, I’m not interested in endangering a child’s life.”

“For the last time it wasn’t my idea to monitor Barry’s—”

“But you would have done it. If it had been the best option for your own safety. Yeah?”

Wesker only paused for a moment longer. “Yes.”

“At least you admit it,” sighed Jill. And in answer to his question, she murmured, “I’m just surprised. I guess your friendship with Dr. Birkin is an actual relationship and not just a word. Do you do it just for him or do you like the kid too?”

“Sherry is quite remarkable for someone her age. Spending time with her is quite enjoyable.”

Jill snorted. “Ok, you could have just said you like her.”

Wesker didn’t respond, but it did get the gears in Jill’s mind turning. How interesting. She was brought back to how Wesker could have chosen to not save her when the Tyrant had broken out. He could have let it kill Captain Marini and herself. Taken a different path. Done it just to save himself. But he hadn’t. And he certainly didn’t have to watch out for Sherry. Taking his friendship with William Birkin seriously probably didn’t do him any good either.

That information allowed Jill to come to the simple fact that Wesker cared. It was in a way that couldn’t be considered completely normal or probably moral, but it was there. She was starting to believe that there really was more of the old Captain Wesker there than he let on.

Those words that she’d said to Chris were no longer just words to try and get him talking with the captain. Jill meant them. The man they’d grown to respect wasn’t completely gone.

But would those connections still hold when it really counted? It was that small fact that kept Jill wary and from completely trusting Wesker again. For the moment, she just asked a few more questions about Sherry, found out that Chris had met her when he and Wesker had finally talked. And then she’d gone home after a long day of work, both as a police officer and an Umbrella grunt.

She slept until the early morning and then headed back to the station.

Going in, it still felt weird seeing Barry’s desk now cleared of everything. Just a few more days he’d said, last Jill had talked to him. Just a few more days and then he and his family would be gone, never to let Umbrella’s fucking hands to touch them again.

Forest’s desk was cleared as well. He thankfully hadn’t been infected with the T-virus. Hadn’t been whisked away by Umbrella for studying with a false death report published. If that had happened, damn Wesker’s need for stealth and secrecy, Jill would have tried to save him.

But no. Forest was fine, at least in that regard. In others, he could no longer walk and his career was over. After being discharged, he’d gone to live with his parents out of the city. It was hard to see him go. To see the great STARS be struck so low with such small numbers. But if shit ever went sideways, then Forest never would have been able to make it out of the city. It hurt, but considering they couldn’t change the past, this was the best way.

That left Wesker, Jill, Brad, Rebecca, Edward, and Richard to man STARS’ assignments with only Chris to add to that list once he returned.

There was so much to do. So much stress, and though Jill had once said she enjoyed her job, she relished when three o’clock started to come close and she was able to take a break. Wesker looked at her curiously but didn’t deny her the break. Brad asked if she’d bring him back something to eat. Somehow that spiraled into her getting food for the entire group, but she didn’t mind. She told everyone she’d see them in a bit and then headed for the coffee shop.

This time she arrived on time, but from the looks of it, Carlos had been waiting a bit. At least he had kept his promise about making up for being late last time. He even had her coffee waiting for her.

It must have just been served because it was still piping hot as she sat down and took a sip.

“Should I be worried that you remembered how I took my coffee from one meeting?”

“Hey, taking it black isn’t exactly that hard to remember.”

“Fair enough.”

“Or would you be impressed if I said I took the time to remember it just because it’s you?”

“More creeped out than impressed,” she responded. She took another sip. Her eyes carefully roamed over Carlos, but it was difficult to say what was there. He was in civilian clothes again and it was still odd seeing him without a bulletproof vest.

He let out a whistle. “You know. I do love a woman in uniform.”

“Carlos.”

“I’m just saying. You carry it well. Makes sense for a super cop though.”

“Are you ever going to tire of calling me that?”

“Not likely.”

“Uh huh.” She looked a little more. Was this really all it was going to be? Had he not even tried to follow her cryptic words? She let out a tired sigh. She’d tried. She’d failed. So be it. At least she’d gotten a free coffee out of it. “I promised I’d pick up a late lunch for those at the office. Sorry, completely forgot about it but I think I’m going to have to cut this short—”

Jill had started to stand up, only for Carlos’ hand to shoot out and grab her wrist. She came very close to reacting immediately. Of snapping at him, wrenching her hand away, maybe even pouring the hot coffee into his lap for good measure. But thankfully, she was quick enough to notice several details before she took any drastic measures.

One was that Carlos said, “Hang on beautiful. I thought we were going to have coffee.” A line that Jill was coming to understand was very, very Carlos.

The second thing?

That there was a tremor in the hand that Carlos had used to grab her. He was shaking. Even his voice, though incredibly slight, had wavered. Had been wavering ever since she’d sat down and he’d started talking. Only she was just now able to pick up on all of it.

So he had caught on.

Instead of wrenching her wrist from him, she gently pulled back and he let her. She said, “How about you join me? I was going to go to a deli. It’s not far. We can walk.”

“Yeah. Ok, cool. Went out for coffee and now I get a nice walk with a pretty gal. That’s a win-win for me.”

“Right,” Jill slowly said. She didn’t say anything until they were out of the store and walking down the street. She glanced at him again. She didn’t know him well enough to really read him, but she tried her best before making an educated guess. “You use humor when you’re stressed.”

“Pfft. What? No. I am just naturally charming.”

Jill raised an eyebrow. Now that she had noticed the tremor, she watched it happen again. She was more surprised when he was immediately honest with her though.

“Ok, yeah, maybe a little. Doesn’t mean the things I say are any less true.”

“Of course,” Jill snorted. She walked slightly in front of him, leading the way as she said, “So what did you find?”

“Woah now! Uh, we’re kind of in the open here if you hadn’t noticed.”

“And you think going into some shop is any safer?” asked Jill. “Just keep your voice down. Unless you think they’ve bugged you.”

“No. No I would have noticed that,” Carlos replied as he instinctually patted himself. “Besides, Tyrell would have taken note and—”

“Did you tell anyone?”

“No.” When Jill only glared at him, he repeated himself. “No! I was apparently naïve, but I’m not stupid. I’m just saying Tyrell-you haven’t met by the way, but he’s part of my unit-he would have caught on. He’s our tech guy and he immediately would have told me or anyone if we were suddenly bugged.”

“You sure about that?”

“He’s a good guy. They all are. I didn’t tell them, but I still trust them.”

“Even Nicholai?”

“He’s a hard ass at times, sure as shit can’t take a joke,” Carlos added with a grumble, “but yeah.”

Jill let out a small huff. To be fair, Carlos knew him better. Still, even in her short interactions with him, she wasn’t partial to the man. She simply replied. “It would probably be better if you didn’t though. At least for now.”

“Yeah, figured I should follow your lead. You seem to have a better idea of what’s going on than me.”

“Only by a little bit.”

“And you’re humble? You really are the full package.”

Jill rolled her eyes again, though she wasn’t as annoyed by the comment as she might have been before. She actually shot him a small smile and said, “Tell me what you found anyways.”

“Not much. I asked a few questions at first and then immediately realized how bad of an idea that was,” sighed Carlos. He went on for a little bit. There wasn’t much concrete information that he had, but he had found some evidence of human experimentation at a different lab where he’d been stationed for the past week. “I thought they were supposed to help people! You know? I thought…that’s what we were told and I just never questioned it and…”

“I know how you feel,” sighed Jill.

“You just started working for Umbrella. And from what you’ve said, I’d say you started working with the fullest intention of being a mole.”

“Not Umbrella. Wesker. Once I started looking, a lot seemed to lead to Wesker. I confronted him and…yeah. My trust in him was broken. Still is, even if I am working with him now.”

“That why you haven’t told me anything concrete? Don’t trust me?”

“I’m sorry—”

“No hard feelings. I get it super cop. I do. I’m just glad you took the risk to tell me at all.”

“I hope it wasn’t a mistake.”

“It won’t be. Promise. From now on, I am your loyal eyes and ears from the UBCS.”

“You mean that?”

“Hell yes. I started this ‘cause I thought, hey, at least I’m working for someone that’s trying to help people. That’s taking the risks for the betterment of others. But I’m starting to realize it’s greed and scientific fucking progress at the cost of anything that’s guiding them. I don’t want to blindly support that anymore.”

“Good. And about your unit?”

“I’ll follow your lead super cop. If you don’t think I should tell them, I won’t.”

“Yes, I think that’s for the best right now.”

“Yes ma’am,” he replied as they walked into the deli.

They stopped talking so that Jill could order. They waited, mostly in silence until Carlos tried to guess which sandwich Jill had ordered for herself. She rolled her eyes at it but played along while they waited. Then it was time to head back to her car.

Once on the street again, Carlos said, “Any orders?”

“No. For the moment, just be aware of literally anything said around you. Right now, I’m just gathering what data I can. Some of it with the help of Wesker. Some of it he makes more difficult to find. But once we have a better idea of how Umbrella works, we may have the hope of taking it down.”

“They’re so big though. Do you really think you, me, and a couple of cops could really take them down?”

“I don’t know. Maybe we can’t but we can at least try and hurt them. We can let the public know. No matter what, we have to try.”

“You ever do speeches? You should. You’d knock them dead.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Jill replied.

They finished walking back and stopped at a car parked on the side of the road.

“This is me. I imagine I’ll see you at work Carlos.”

She put the bags of food in the back but before she could get in and leave, Carlos suddenly leaned against her car and said, “So about that number…”

“Really?”

“Hey! I’m just thinking practically here. If I find something, I can call you up and let you know right away. Or I guess ask to meet. That would probably be safer.”

“That’s fair.” She thought about it for a second before opening the driver’s door and looking for some pen and paper. “But this is work. This is professional. You got that?”

“Yes ma’am. Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Sure.” Still, she gave him her number all the same and he gave her his.

“I’ll catch you later super cop.”

“Thanks for the coffee.”

“Anytime.”

“I’m sure you mean that too.”

“Definitely,” he replied with a large grin.

Jill suspected he really meant that, but she could still see it. That waver. What Carlos had told her were facts, plain and simple. But what he must have seen, the way his trust in his job had been shattered, it had shaken him. Despite how annoying he’d seemed at first, Jill found herself feeling for him and working with him didn’t seem that terrible of an idea anymore.

She didn’t know when of if she would tell Wesker. She would tell Chris but would probably wait until he got back to work for that. Right now, her new contact within Umbrella would remain her secret and hopefully it would pay off.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of reworked the story and added 2 more chapters since I think I needed them for some development. The number might go down, might go a little bit more up, but we are getting close to the events of RE2/3 so thank you to everyone who has continued to stick with this during that time. Hope you enjoy <3

Jill called up Carlos early one morning, telling him their usual meeting would have to be postponed a little. Carlos seemed anxious to talk, but Jill promised they still would. It would just have to be a few hours later than usual. Normally, she might have thought harder on Carlos’ tone. Was the anxiety of this getting to him? Was acting as a double agent just too much? Or was it about something else? Something he had learned?

Instead of dredging up those questions though, Jill was too focused on Barry as he finally had everything set to get himself and his family out of the city.

It would possibly be the last time Jill would get to see him and the kids and his wife, or at least for the foreseeable future. Everyone except Wesker was there, giving hugs and kind words. It was a short affair, but during the sendoff Barry pulled Jill and Chris aside. He softly said, “I don’t want to know what happens next. I don’t want to hear anything or have any tip off or-I just can’t-for my family—”

“I know,” Chris murmured. “I already forced you into this situation. I could never forgive myself if I did it again.”

“You wanted to protect your family. You do that,” Jill added. “None of us will ever hold that against you.”

“I know. I do. I just want to make sure that you know I don’t want to know what’s happening. What you’ve found out Jill or who knows what or-or—”

Jill repeated herself again, putting her hands on Barry’s shoulders. They could both understand Barry’s anxieties and why he was so pressed to repeat himself. “It’s ok. We know you’re not abandoning us.”

“Good. That’s good. Because I don’t want you to think I am.”

“We never could,” replied Chris.

“I wish I could stick by you kids. It’s just…just—”

“You have your actual kids to take care of,” Chris said. “I could never forgive myself if Moira or Polly got hurt. Or Kathy. You’re doing what’s right by them and that’s what matters.”

Jill nodded. “Just let us know you’re ok every once in a while. So that we know you really did get out.”

“Hey, same goes for you two. I know I have a responsibility to my family. That will never change and even if I could redo all this, I would do the exact same thing to keep them safe. But I can’t think that after leaving you two…the whole team…”

“Look at who you’re talking to,” Jill said. “We’ll be fine.”

She didn’t actually know that, but her own confidence managed to shine through. It helped ease Barry’s shoulders a little.

“I guess there isn’t much else to say then. Well, except for you,” Barry said as he pointed at Chris. “Don’t forget to call your sister. I talked to her a day ago. She’s going to visit me and Kathy once we’ve got everything settled, but I could tell she was ready to drive back down here to check on you. I did all I could to not raise her suspicions while also telling her it would be better to wait for your call. But if you want her far away from all this bullshit, then you better keep in touch.”

“Shit. Yeah, I will. Thanks Barry,” sighed Chris. Considering he had just come back to work, it wasn’t surprising that he’d been too distracted to talk to Claire. Jill made a mental note to remind him as well. Considering how important Claire was to Chris, that automatically meant Jill didn’t want her near Raccoon City again either.

“No problem. I’ll make sure to call you both once we have a phone set up and everything. So that you can contact me if you need to.”

“We won’t put your family in danger,” Jill said.

“And I know that. But if something happens and you have nowhere to go…well you can come to me. As long as I can keep my family from the risk, I’ll still help you and the team in a heartbeat if you have nowhere else to turn.”

“Thank you,” murmured Jill.

Chris nodded. “It means a lot. I’ll miss you.”

“Me too.”

“Yeah, same here.”

And with that, they all hugged each other tightly before rejoining the others. Goodbyes got said again. Moira and Polly seemed extra sad at leaving what they saw as aunts and uncles, especially in Chris’ and Jill’s case. Kathy held herself together, but when she had a chance did murmur to Jill, “This is still all so sudden. I just don’t understand, and Barry wouldn’t answer me if we were in any danger.”

“It’s ok,” Jill replied. “I can’t explain more but know your husband’s making the right choice. You and the children will be ok.”

Jill knew that her response probably wasn’t the best. It might have even made Kathy more on edge, but it was Barry’s choice how much he would fill her in. It was probably eating Barry up inside too. He still didn’t want to risk putting his wife in danger, even if the secrets strained the relationship.

For now, Kathy simply turned silent and also said goodbye to those around her before the last box was put into the truck and the girls were buckled into the back. A movie vehicle had already taken most of their things out of the city.

Then Barry was gone. The house was empty. The pictures were gone. The lights were off.

And their team was even smaller than before.

Chris, Jill, Rebecca, Brad, Edward, and Richard left to return to the station. Now the only members of STARS, they were no longer Alpha and Bravo. Just STARS.

Having all carpooled together, Edward said on the way, “I just don’t get why Wesker wouldn’t see him off. I get the captain isn’t all about that touchy feely crap, but this was one of ours! The least he could have done is give him a proper goodbye.”

“Paperwork needed to be completed,” murmured Chris.

“And not having at least one STARS member at the station would have been irresponsible,” Jill added.

“Still, you would think Chief Irons would have given us a little leeway with all that.”

“It’s Irons,” Richard responded. “Are you really that surprised?”

“True…”

Jill didn’t add anything else. She just let them believe what they wanted to. Richard and Edward were now the only ones not in all of this. As far as they knew, the events at the mansion were over and being handled by higher authorities than them. Jill was determined to keep it that way. Thankfully, Brad didn’t blurt out anything that might have contradicted all that, and Rebecca and Chris stayed just as silent.

Once back at work, Chris broke off from them and allowed himself to be distracted by Marvin Branagh and Kevin Ryman as they called him over. Since being back only a few days, he’d rarely allowed himself to be in the STARS office and certainly never let himself be alone with Wesker. Jill didn’t question it, knowing Chris needed his own way to heal and deal with their conniving boss. At the very least he was there, and that was all Jill could ask for.

In the office, Wesker didn’t make any comment on Barry’s sendoff. He simply said, “Now back to work people,” and left it at that.

Chris joined them not long after, but Jill was already leaving again for her meeting with Carlos. She passed Chris on the way out and he nudged her before she could go through the door.

“Again?”

“I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry.”

She hadn’t fully explained things yet, only that she had another contact within Umbrella. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Chris. She just wanted to minimize the risk that Wesker might find out. Carlos was putting his trust in her and she didn’t want to fuck him over. After all, she had come to trust Wesker again after he’d risked his life for her. However, she didn’t trust that Wesker wouldn’t throw Carlos under the bus if it was the safest option for them.

And with that final thought, Jill hurried back out of the station and towards her car. She went to the usual coffee place they met at, though they often didn’t stay there long. If Jill used the outing as an excuse to get lunch for everyone, then they would usually walk to a nearby restaurant. If that wasn’t the case, then they would normally just pace around the city with their coffee in hand.

Seeing as no one had asked for lunch from the office, or in this case dinner, it would either just be a quick meeting in the coffee shop or they would decide to walk the streets.

Going by Carlos’ jittery form when she walked into the store, it seemed the latter would be the best choice. Jill didn’t even get the chance to ask if that was what he wanted to do as Carlos jumped from his seat and quickly handed her a cup of coffee he’d already bought for her.

“Want to go outside, beautiful?”

“Sure.”

Jittery and jumping right into the flirtatious words? He was really on edge. As she followed him outside, she took a sip and noted the cold, stale taste. How long had Carlos been sitting there? Waiting just for her?

Once outside, she reminded him of their phone call earlier that morning. “I said I was going to be late.”

“I know. I do. Just…sitting by myself was too much.”

“Then you’ve found something big?” murmured Jill. She dropped her voice a little. Just in case.

“I don’t know about big, but they…there’s a mole in Umbrella.”

Jill got the meaning. “Fuck. I’ll deal with it if they think it’s me. Talk to Wesker or something. But if they think it’s you, you should just get out now—”

“It’s not that. Any of that actually. It’s Dr. Birkin. They know he’s in talks with the US government to sell whatever he’s working on in the lab to them.”

Her eyes widened. Wesker had explained his way of getting out, his plan to sell what he had to a different company, but she hadn’t realized William Birkin wanted out as well. The fact that he wanted to sell his work to the government rather than a company didn’t exactly ease Jill either. She’d served in the army after all. She didn’t exactly trust the big wigs to make the right decisions when it came to the weapons Umbrella was creating.

“What’s Umbrella going to do about it?” asked Jill.

“Nothing.”

“That can’t be right.”

“Well it is. At least for now. Talks are still in their infancy and Dr. Birkin doesn’t seem willing to sell what he has so far. He wants to stay at Umbrella long enough to perfect it.”

“So Umbrella lets him keep working on it right until he’s ready to sell, then they get rid of him once it’s in a useable form,” Jill growled.

“And then maybe they sell it to the US government anyways or another government or a resistance group of whatever,” finished Carlos. “Whoever is willing to pay the big bucks.”

“Shit. I’m going to need to tell Wesker.”

“What? So he can convince Birkin to stop? Or get out now? What little work I’ve done for that man makes it obvious. He’s obsessed! No way he’ll listen to anything anyone says. He’s probably too narcissistic to think Umbrella would be able to out play him anyways.”

“Probably, but Wesker might be able to get through to him. At least in some way,” sighed Jill. She shook her head and took another sip of the stale, cold coffee. “Thank you. I doubt this information came easily.”

“No, but it helps that I’ve got a reputation as being the joker of my team. Means not everyone thinks that highly of me.”

“Well it’s good you can use that to your advantage now. Thank you again. Was there anything else?”

“That was about it, super cop. I’ll keep my ear open for more though.”

Jill nodded. She found herself suddenly thankful that Carlos was still in. Those at Umbrella might see him as mainly a flirty joker, but he was a good man. He was doing the right thing helping her.

“You need to get back to work?” he asked.

“Probably. It’s supposed to be a long night tonight.”

“Well, let me buy you a fresh cup. Sorry it was so stale.”

“Sorry I was late,” she replied with a small smile.

They made their way back to the coffee shop. After Carlos bought her a new one, they said their goodbyes and Jill headed back to the office. She didn’t waste any time and went to Wesker immediately. She pushed open his office door and just stared at him. Thankfully, that was the only message he needed. He got up and followed her out. Chris stiffened the most. Brad and Rebecca looked worried. Edward and Richard just looked confused as they left the room.

Jill headed outside and found one of the usual spots that some of the cops smoked at, though it was empty now. Wesker spoke first.

“What is it?”

“Did you know Dr. Birkin was planning on selling to the US government?”

The only slight reaction Jill got was the furrowing of Wesker’s brow. “How do you know that?”

“Because Umbrella knows and now they’re just waiting to pounce once he’s done.”

“A completion date is likely still weeks away.”

“Well, they’re willing to wait.”

“How did you come across this information?”

“I can’t tell you that.”

Wesker’s lips twitched upwards into a bitter smile. “An act of assurance.”

“Not exactly. I agreed to work for Vladimir because I didn’t want to die in that fucking lab and we were both forced into a corner. But you also know I chose it as a way to get information. I’m just still doing what I can to bring this fucking company down. Considering Dr. Birkin could complicate that for me and for your own goal of getting out, I figured it was best to tell you.”

“But not who told you.”

“I can’t know you won’t sell them out the second it seems beneficial to you.”

“I haven’t sold you out.”

“We have history. An understanding. And even if you don’t want to say it now, you still trust me and I trust you. But you don’t know this person. Even if I told you not to, I think if it meant keeping me safer, not just you, you would sell the person out. But I can’t have that.”

The bitterness in his lips disappeared just a little. He looked proud of her deduction. “Then I won’t waste time trying to get more information out of you. I’ll talk to Will, but I doubt much will come of it.”

“I figured. But just knowing at least gives us a better idea of what’s going on behind the scenes.”

“Agreed. Any other useful information?”

“Nothing that could help either of us for now. Just my ongoing investigation.”

“Good. Then I think it’s best we return to work before the others get suspicious. And I’ll go to the labs alone tomorrow. Something tells me it won’t be a very productive day with William.”

Jill paused. Was Wesker trying to hide something from her? But no. She pushed down the doubt. After everything, there was a sense of trust again. Besides, she would ask how it went the day after and she trusted in her ability to read Wesker now to know if he was lying or not.

“Jill, coming?”

“Yeah. Just thinking.”

Wesker gave a slight nod before he turned on his heels. Jill followed close behind and tried to think about what she should fill Chris in on. Brad and Rebecca too for that matter. She decided they should probably all have a sit down and discuss what might come next. Jill would have preferred to continue keeping them all out of it. However, since they were in on this too, they would likely want an update soon and Jill wasn’t going to lie to them now.

But how much longer could they play this game? And how much information would Carlos and her really be able to get from Umbrella?

Jill didn’t know. She just knew she couldn’t give up. Not yet.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me finally adding a new chapter! Hope you enjoy for anyone still keeping up with this or who stumbles onto it in the future <3

Chris returned to work around the same time that Barry left. He hated the timing, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to guilt his friend into staying longer. He was just thankful that the girls and Kathy would be ok. Hopefully they would stay out of whatever hell Umbrella would continue to cook up.

According to the doctor, Chris was still supposed to take it easy. Wesker often had Jill running point with him because of it and for a second, Chris had been painfully afraid there was a more nefarious reason for it. However, Wesker called him out on it rather quickly, simply saying, “If I wanted Jill gone, I would do something much more effective than simply hoping she would make a mistake in the line of duty. You are still healing Chris. That means you still don’t get to run point for a while.”

That had been the end of that what with Jill backing up Wesker’s decision. As she put it, being paranoid was definitely the new norm. But he shouldn’t let it override all his thoughts.

He tried to listen to her. He listened to his sister too as he dutifully answered her calls in the days before and after he returned to work. Claire didn’t know exactly how stressful this was for him, but she still somehow knew the right thing to say.

And talking to Wesker…

Fuck.

He still didn’t have his feelings fully sorted out, but at least it was a bit easier to be around him. It also helped that due to his healing, he couldn’t exactly be involved in what Jill and Wesker were doing. Rebecca and Brad weren’t that involved either. The less everyone knew, the safer they were. The easier it was hiding this from Umbrella. Once Chris had the go-ahead from the doctor though, he sure as shit was going to do more.

Could he just become a double agent and work beside Jill? No. But he would try to play a more active role. Maybe he’d even meet the secret informant Jill had mentioned to him. He understood that it was a need to know basis for now. There was no telling what Wesker might do to the informant as well. But hopefully Chris would just have more of a role to play.

Surprisingly, that added role came before he was fully healed and not long after he’d returned to work. It just wasn’t in the way he’d quite expected.

At the time, he’d been in the office with Richard and Edward. Due to their sudden drop in numbers, the new norm was to have at least three people in the office most hours, though sometimes that was only two. Brad and Rebecca were out on a call and Jill and Wesker were doing whatever for Umbrella. Chris was anxiously waiting to see if Brad and Rebecca would call for backup. He wished they’d all gone with, but on the off chance STARS was needed elsewhere, they needed someone to stay behind.

So Chris had tried to focus on paperwork. It had worked up until the phone call.

He snatched it up first despite the slight pain that happened in his chest. He expected it to be Brad. He’d either tell them to come immediately as he sat in one of the SWAT vehicles or maybe he’d say they were done and headed back. Instead, it was Wesker.

“I need you to go to my house. Do you remember it?”

“Uh—”

“No matter.” Wesker quickly listed off the address.

Chris wrote it down. It was instinctive as he heard the commanding tone in Wesker’s voice. However, his mind caught up quickly. The willingness to blindly follow the man disappeared and Chris asked, “Why?”

“Just a STARS mission, albeit a selfish one.”

He strained his ears. Was that shouting from behind Wesker? Alarms going off? He desperately wished he could get in contact with Jill but had no way to reach her while she was in the belly of the beast.

Umbrella was undoubtably listening in, but Chris couldn’t help his confusion. He still tried to ask, “But I don’t understand—”

“You don’t need to! Just do your job or I’m writing you up.”

Chris had heard the man annoyed before. He remembered just how irate he’d been when he’d had to talk to everyone about the truth because Chris had told them about Umbrella. But this was actual desperation. This was the unknown and he had never heard it come from his Captain’s voice. It made Chris think to the only thing that might be at Wesker’s house that would even matter that much to him.

“I’ll go now sir.”

Wesker didn’t even respond. The call simply ended and Chris was soon dropping the receiver and grabbing his keys.

“Is it—”

“Special Assignment from Wesker,” Chris interrupted Richard.

Edward huffed. “I swear, it’s like you guys have your own club going on. Is it because we’re previously Bravo?”

“Well, I’d argue Rebecca is kind of in the middle too.”

“Yeah, but she’s a noob. Was a noob. Easy to switch sides.”

“Heh, sides. Yeah, like we were some—”

Chris ignored the rest of their back and forth. He rushed through the halls of the precinct, gave a quick apology to running into Branagh, and jumped into his car. Only one name went through his head.

Sherry.

That was the only explanation Chris could come up with. Something was going down in Umbrella and Wesker wanted him to get to Sherry. To…what? Simply watch her for an hour as they got things under control? To protect her? From what?

God, Chris wished he could talk to Jill right now. Was she safe? In the middle of it? Was she helping to contain whatever it was? Or had she already fallen to—

No! Thinking like that wasn’t going to help anyone. Just focus on Sherry. She was the priority.

Despite having gone there once, Chris knew most of Racoon City like the back of his hand. He made it in record time and only had to look at the written down address once. Soon, he was stepping out of the car. But what now? How was he supposed to get inside? And was Sherry there or was he meant to pick her up somewhere?

At least these questions answered themselves as he caught sight of a curtain dropping. He heard the door unlocking and soon Sherry was poking her head out.

“Mr. Redfield?”

“Wes-ur, your Uncle Albert sent me. I’m…but I must admit I’m not sure what to do next.” He felt lame, finishing with so little confidence to the scared looking girl.

Actually, very scared looking girl. Like she had a much better idea of what was about to happen than Chris.

“We need to get inside,” she murmured. She backed up and Chris quickly followed.

This time, Sherry’s school bag was in the living room. It looked like she’d just arrived and the house was as untouched as the last time. Even more so considering Wesker wasn’t cooking in the kitchen now.

Sherry went to sit down on the couch and Chris found he could only follow her. He helplessly looked around before turning back to Sherry. “Do you know what’s going on?”

“I was removed from school early. I was told if this ever happened in…in this way then to…be ready to go. I was supposed to stay home. With them. But Uncle Albert always said to come here. So I snuck out the back and did.”

Them? She had to mean Umbrella. A protective detail because of her parents? But clearly Wesker didn’t trust Umbrella with her safety. Chris asked, “Go where?”

She gave a slight shrug. “Mom said…she said she would be here. Uncle Albert promised he would.”

Shit. What was Chris supposed to do? Part of him wanted to pick Sherry up and run straight out of town. Another part of him wanted to head back to the precinct. He had to warn everyone! Get them out of there! But that would blow the whole cover. Then Umbrella would know that more than just Wesker and Jill knew about them and their cover could easily fall apart.

Not that such things mattered if they had failed and were already dead.

If Chris went, he could save Edward and Richard. Anyone else who would listen to him. Or he could sign all of their death warrants. That didn’t have a clear path but at least with Sherry…

She was just a kid. If Chris could save anyone from what might happen, just a kid, then…

“We’re leaving now.”

“W-we are?”

“It’s what your uncle would have wanted,” Chris said. Despite only having seen the two interact once, he honestly believed it too. Wesker wouldn’t have sent him here if he thought he one hundred percent had it handled. He wouldn’t have sent him to the one thing he seemed to be protective of if things would be fine. “Grab your backpack and lets go.”

Sherry didn’t even question it. She didn’t ask if there was time to grab snacks or a stuffed animal. It definitely seemed like she was prepared for the worst case scenario. It also really showed how much she must trust Wesker to willing go with someone he’d sent versus the Umbrella personnel that had been sent for her instead by her parents.

Chris got her into his car and was quickly pealing out of the driveway. He tried to think of the fastest way through the city while trying not to get pulled over either. He could have said it was just official business if necessary, but there was no telling if a cop might be in Umbrella’s pocket and try to stop him. Because of that, getting out took far too long. Red light after red light stopped them. Traffic was piled up due to rush hour no matter which way Chris drove.

But he was so close. They were almost out of the city when two black SUVs suddenly pulled onto the parkway. One pulled in front and the other pulled up behind them. They adjusted their speed so that Chris was forced to slow down. The one in front signaled him to take the next left off the parkway. He felt as Sherry grabbed his arm but didn’t dare take his eyes off the road.

“Mr. Redfield…”

“Shit.” What to do? What was he supposed to fucking do! “It’s…up to you. I think you know what they’re capable of better than me. Should I follow?”

“Please. I’d hate if they hurt you,” whispered Sherry.

“Alright. I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok. Uncle Albert will know you did your best.”

And with that, the almost escape fell apart. Chris followed the SUV off the parkway and back through the city. He noted how the lights were conveniently green the entire time. Umbrella’s hidden hand at work or just coincidence?

They ended up arriving at a house only two streets away from Wesker’s. Chris assumed it was the Birkin’s as he stopped in the driveway. He looked out as eight men in total got out of the two black vehicles. Definitely too many to take on. Especially since it would unnecessarily put Sherry in danger. But what if they tried to take her away from him? If that happened, Chris would fight tooth and nail for her.

That didn’t seem to be their goal though. Christ decided it was best to act like he was trying to still keep Jill and Wesker’s status secret and not like the world might be possibly ending under his feet as they sat there.

One of the men walked up and loudly spoke through the glass. “Turn off the car and get out Mr. Redfield. Ms. Sherry.”

He slowly did as he was told. He remained on edge the entire time, waiting for someone to hit him or attack or pull out a gun. Instead, one man simply said, “Why did you endeavor to take Ms. Sherry out of the city?”

“It was a favor from my subordinate-may I ask who you are? Cause if this is government related, do you have jurisdiction here?” Right, just play it dumb. Don’t give it away that he already knew this was Umbrella.

“Arms out Mr. Redfield.”

“As a matter of fact, how do you even know my damn name?”

“Arms out.”

The finality this time had Chris following along. Best not to push this too far. He was patted down. His service weapon was taken from him. He felt his heart leap into his throat without it. Then Sherry quickly came around the car and hugged his leg. He put an arm around her. He thought she needed comfort but quickly connected that she was trying to protect him. She probably figured it was less likely they’d shoot him if she was right there. Hopefully she was right.

“Inside, please.”

Chris did as he was told. For the first time since the mansion incident, he couldn’t wait to see Wesker. That bastard might be the only one to get him out of this mess.


	20. Chapter 20

It felt like Chris had been sitting there for hours. When he glanced at the nearest clock, it showed only forty-one minutes had passed.

He and Sherry were sitting on the couch. The space was identical to Wesker’s home, really hammering in that the place, really most of the neighborhood, was corporation owned. Several of the agents just stayed in the room. They didn’t say anything. Their faces were unreadable. One man was outside on a call. He’d been on it for most of the time. Another two had been going over the house. They occasionally popped back into view as they turned everything over before carefully putting it back. Were they making sure the place was clean? Or had the Birkin’s possibly hidden something? What could it be?

Jill had informed him about William Birkin’s plans to leave Umbrella. That Umbrella even knew. Wesker hadn’t been too pleased when he’d realized Chris had been let in on the info. He hadn’t argued though, simply asking Jill to talk to him before discussing it with the others.

As Jill had put it, it wasn’t like the knowledge put Chris in much more danger and he’d been wanting to get more involved anyways.

Did Umbrella think the attempt to leave with Sherry was actually a larger plan involving her father? Was it? Wesker did call them friends. Was that what was happening below them in the labs? An escape attempt? An attempt gone wrong? Or maybe this incident was a true accident and Wesker just wanted to get Sherry out. But maybe there was still more. Maybe getting Sherry out was only part of it and they’d hoped something in their research would be permanently hidden with her from Umbrella. But if that was the case, whatever Umbrella was looking for wouldn’t be in the house. It would have to be on Sherry.

The thought crossed Chris’ mind. At the exact same time, one of the men searching the place came into the living room. His eyes carefully went over them before zeroing in on Sherry. Chris tried to act like he wasn’t analyzing every little thing in the room as his eyes flickered to and from the Umbrella grunt. The man started to approach. Chris followed his line of sight to a locket around Sherry’s neck. Could that—

“Thank you, gentlemen. Everything is sorted now.”

Chris audibly exhaled. He’d been so focused on the man’s slow approach, he hadn’t noticed the front door opening. Chris hadn’t thought it possible, but no, he was truly relieved to see Wesker again. Despite the authority Wesker presented in his voice though, the men didn’t immediately leave.

“Col. Vladimir wishes to speak with you. Please, sit.”

“I was simply ensuring the safety of a friend’s child. There is no need to overthink this.”

“Sit.”

Wesker’s brow twitched, but he slowly did as he was told, going to Sherry’s other side.

Fuck. So Wesker wasn’t exactly the saving grace that Chris had hoped for. However, if he wanted to get out of this alive, he really needed to keep up this dumb act. The moment Umbrella suspected him of anything, he’d probably be dragged into the back of one of their SUVs, never to be seen from again. Because of that, he simply let out a tired huff. Somehow it sounded natural. He muttered, “Sir, your simple favor isn’t exactly that simple.”

“Apologies Chris. I’ll make sure your time is clocked in so your afternoon was not wasted.”

“So that means I don’t get to find out what this is all about?” He added a hint of sulking into it, a dash of uncaring like him wasting his afternoon was more important.

“Chris.”

“Right. Sorry sir,” sighed Chris before slouching just a little bit on the couch.

God, he couldn’t believe that worked! Well, he wouldn’t know if the ruse had actually worked-or even mattered-until he walked out of this house still alive. But Wesker had followed along so smoothly! Chris imagined Jill had felt like this when first faced with Umbrella. Outwardly projecting calm and control while internally wondering what the fuck was going to happen next.

Rather than sitting in pure silence though like before, Wesker turned to Sherry and said, “It would be a shame to let this time go to waste. Have you started your homework?”

“No.”

“Well, let’s see what you have.”

Chris listened to them talk, the soft scratch of the pencil. It was clear Sherry was struggling. The stress of the situation was not lost on her. But Wesker was trying his best to distract her and Chris could admire that. He just listened to them, almost another hour passed, and then the man they’d been waiting for stepped into the home.

A near uncontrollable rage entered Chris. Even if Jill hadn’t told him the information, he recognized the face from that shitty monitor. Enrico’s body just lying there. Never to be retrieved. Maybe it was because Chris had to work with Wesker and couldn’t let out all his anger on him that he was now directing it towards this man. It didn’t help that the first words out of Col. Vladimir’s mouth was, “STARS is once again where it is not needed.”

Rather than saying something that would have given everything away, Chris simply snapped, “Hey! I don’t know what the fuck is going on! I was just here to take care of a kid—”

“Chris!”

Wesker’s tone said it all. Now was not the time. He shut up and the colonel darkly chuckled.

“Come Wesker.” Wesker dutifully did and what sounded like, “So the bitch can still control his bitches,” came from the colonel’s mouth as they went outside.

Chris resisted the urge to turn around and watch as one of the men from the SUVs finally came forward. Sherry kept her nose in her homework.

“Why did you remove Ms. Sherry from the Birkin home?”

Shit! This was their plan all along. They were probably asking Wesker similar questions, trying to see how much they diverged from one another. What would Wesker say? No! He couldn’t waste time thinking like that. He just had to act natural and hope Wesker did the same.

“Uh…I didn’t. She was at Wesker’s. I was just watching her for him. Done it before.”

“Why did you try to leave the city?”

“We weren’t. Sherry just needed some air, but I’ll be honest. Not great with kids and you’ve seen her, she’s a quiet one. Was trying to find somewhere to go, maybe a park. If that failed, I was just going to grab dinner and go back to Wesker’s until he got back.”

“Why were you told to take Sherry?”

“I told you…”

And so the questions continued. Really, the same two questions, just slightly worded differently. Chris answered them like his picking up Sherry was a normal thing, not the byproduct of an organization and their fucked up experiments. But would his words be enough? Or would a gun suddenly appear in his face and that was it? He would have failed Jill. He’d be leaving Claire behind. Barry and his family.

Chris could feel his heartbeat increasing.

He had to stay calm, but this could be it. If Wesker said the wrong thing, if he had, then this was the end. There were too many men. He didn’t have his service weapon anymore. There was no way out of this. He was going to—

“Time to go. Wesker, another misstep like this and your leash will be used to hang you. Understood?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good. Move out.”

And with that, Col. Vladimir left as quickly as he had come. Chris didn’t move though. Neither did Sherry. Chris simply looked at Wesker who followed Col. Vladimir’s movements through the window. When it seemed all cars had left, Wesker nodded towards the door. Sherry and Chris followed and once outside, Wesker locked the door and put the key inside a flowerpot.

He then turned and handed Chris his service weapon. “I suspect you have questions.”

“Just tell me if Jill is safe.” It felt good having some way to defend himself back on his hip.

“For now. Come to my house for dinner. I’ll explain there, but I’ll need you to cook.”

“Wait, why?”

“Because making sure they didn’t tap my house will take time, and I know where to look for them better than you.”

“Understood,” sighed Chris.

“Good. Do not speak of anything out of the norm until I know no bugs are there.” Wesker started to walk to his car but paused and turned back. “Well, question it a little. Get irate with me some. Just don’t give away that you know anything about Umbrella.”

“I can do that.”

“Then I will see you at my house. Come along Sherry.”

She followed Wesker and Chris got into his own car. He didn’t follow right away, just needing a moment to collect himself before he put on an act again. He slowly breathed in and out. He wiped at his face, started his car, and finally went the two streets over. He started talking the moment he was inside. Like this was normal. Like Wesker was his commanding officer but also a friend and that it had been a weird fucking afternoon but he still trusted him. It hurt. In a way, it felt more natural. That made it hurt more, but they kept it up. They bickered some. Chris let himself be irritable for a while before saying he forgave Wesker for the weird afternoon. Wesker said if that was the case, he would finally help Chris with the cooking. In between the searching, Wesker actually told him what to do. He would calmly state his instructions when walking by or even shout it from another room. What temp to set. How much to cut of the onion. How long the vegetables should simmer.

And it all just hurt so damn much.

It was hard not to let his shoulders drop when Wesker finally said, “All clear,” and Chris didn’t have to pretend anymore.

Sherry spoke first though as she blurted out, “Is dad alright? Mom?” She had stayed at the table, finishing up the rest of her homework but ran over once Wesker stopped in the kitchen.

“They are fine. Simply some containment issues in the lab that they’ll be dealing with into the night. But they are ok. If you wish to know more Chris, you can ask Jill or speak to me later.”

So Wesker was saying he wouldn’t cut Chris out of this. He just refused to do it in front of Sherry. Chris could deal with that. He would talk to Jill and unless it seemed Wesker was keeping something from them, Chris would leave it at that. He just nodded and sighed, “I should be getting home anyways.”

“Stay. You’ve already done most of the cooking,” Wesker said. He walked over and easily began to finish up what Chris had begun.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea—”

“Nonsense. Sherry, go ahead and move your schoolwork upstairs so the table will be clear for us. Almost done?”

“Almost.”

“Try to finish what you can. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.”

She smiled and nodded. She also shot Chris a smile. It seemed she was happy he was staying. However, even for her, Chris didn’t want to stay unless he had to. He waited for Sherry to go upstairs and was full on ready to tell Wesker off. The man beat him to the words though.

“You moved excellently considering you could not know what I hoped for. The only change in your decisions I would ask for is that next time, should Umbrella try to stop you, do not follow them. Kill them and run.”

“Is this just because Sherry means that much to you? Or is this about more?”

A small smile flited across Wesker’s face. “If you are afraid she is carrying a biological bomb without her own knowledge, no. I would not put her in that danger.”

“You’re not going to tell me what it could be. Are you?”

“It’s a key.”

“To?”

“That I cannot. Just know it is important. Otherwise, I would not have entrusted her into your care.”

“Well as nice as that is, and as sweet as she is, I really don’t want to be here longer than I have to.”

“The longest you need to be here is at least through the night.”

“Hang on! You just said dinner! Not that I was going to stay for that anyways. But why the hell do I have to stay the night?”

“Because the fact that we simply shared similar lies did not save you. I had to convince Vladimir not to kill you. I told him how irritating your sister would be if you were to disappear—”

“What the fuck—”

Wesker glanced in the direction of the stairs.

Chris dropped his voice but was no less pissed. “What the fuck Wesker?”

“They already knew about Claire. They know everything. I simply said that what I know of your sister, and I take this to be true, that she would not stop hunting whoever made you disappear. Taking care of her would not be an impossible thing for Umbrella, but it would be tedious. I thankfully convinced Vladimir it wouldn’t be worthy of his time. Beyond that, I added you were a nice distraction for me, and that I would hate for you to be killed off so soon.”

Chris couldn’t help but blush. Most of it was due to the anger he was feeling, but not all of it. “Are you fucking kidding me Wesker? After what you’ve put me through?”

“You should be thanking me. My argument involving Claire only partially swayed Vladimir. I pulled out everything I could think of to keep him from going in there and scarring Sherry more so than she’s already been. Considering that goal aligned with keeping you alive, you should thank me,” growled Wesker. “Umbrella wanted STARS gone in that Mansion incident. I still don’t know why, but if they have an opportunity to get rid of more of you with little fuss, they will. If you want to go home and risk the chance Vladimir is waiting to question you and see if I was lying, so be it. I have done my part though. Should you find yourself staring down the barrel of his gun, know that it was your actions that led you there.”

Chris hated how much he believed Wesker’s words. He hated that the man was being earnest, despite how Chris knew there were moments when he’d pretended to be earnest and just lied out his ass. But even worse, the argument was pretty damn logical. Chris couldn’t find any fallacies in it. None worth risking his life on anyways.

“I hate how much sense you make at times. Just don’t tell me I need to move in or some shit like a fucking sitcom.”

“No. But Vladimir will likely have someone tailing you from now on. He won’t kill you if you’re not worth the headache, but if he begins to suspect anything, he will shut it down. I suggest you visit on occasion from now on. Perhaps spend the night again. We can utilize it to bring you up to speed on what Jill has been working on so the time doesn’t go to waste, or we can go over any current cases. But you should stay here Chris.”

“Fine. Fine! You convinced me damn it. Can I at least call Jill from here?”

“Yes, just save any questions you might have for later. You never know who is listening in. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” sighed Chris. “If I have to stay here, I might as well hear the whole damn story from you anyways.”

“Alright, but only after Sherry has gone to bed. She knows of the labs. Knows that it is serious, dangerous work. But she shouldn’t be exposed to it anymore than she has.”

“I can agree to that. We eat, play nice. Then you put her to bed and we can finally talk.”

“Agreed.”

And so that was how Chris found himself actually eating at Wesker’s table this time. He was happy to be around Sherry, even if he didn’t want to be in this house. He made sure to apologize too as some of his words while in front of Umbrella had been insensitive. She didn’t mind though and quickly accepted the apology. She was just happy he was ok and after another soft, “Mr. Redfield?” Chris told her she could call him by his first name.

After dinner, Chris took some time to call Jill. She was home and safe and it was all Chris could ask for. They talked about grabbing lunch tomorrow before leaving the conversation at that. Then Chris played nice a little longer before Sherry was finally sent back upstairs to get ready for bed. During that time, Chris and Wesker finally talked. They only stopped talking when Wesker went upstairs to tuck Sherry in and wish her good night.

Chris listened to the horrible mess that had occurred. The people that had died. How Jill had even got fucking bitten but thankfully hadn’t contracted any of the virus. Chris just kept his arms crossed, digging is fingernails into his own skin as he snapped, “You can’t contain this.”

“I realize that. Umbrella is extremely inefficient at times.”

“Then why not blow the cover on it now!?”

“Because doing so would not stop them. It would simply delay them. Jill does not have enough information. She does not have enough proof. I would argue she may never have enough, not to ensure any swift action from the government. Whenever she decides to send what she has to someone, it will be messy. But at the very least today’s failure has given her more concrete evidence to work with beyond her own first hand accounts.”

“Jesus. This is so fucked up.”

“Never said it wasn’t. But this is the way to play unless you’d rather have an early grave.”

“Yeah, I get that. I do,” sighed Chris. “Is there anything else I should know?”

“Nothing of any great consequence. I suggest we sleep now as work will likely be busy tomorrow. If a member was not properly screened and got out after the lockdown, we may have another case on our hands.”

“Fuck. Yeah, ok. Do you have a guest room or is it the couch?”

“You can have my room.”

Chris recoiled at the thought. “I don’t want it.”

“Fine. But let me at least get you something to sleep in. Do you need a shower?”

“I’ll take one at home.”

“I’d suggest taking it here in the morning so as not to waste time, but so be it. I’ll be right back.”

Wesker left and Chris moved over to the couch. He moved off some of the fluff pillows to clear the space and soon turned around to see Wesker with sleepwear in one hand and a blanket and pillow in the other. As Wesker silently handed it over, Chris looked him in the face.

This hurt. It still hurt and he really didn’t want it to. Why couldn’t the office fumble be just that? Why did it have to be built on mutual respect and admiration that was now more worthless than dog shit? Chris didn’t want that. He was tired of fucking hurting, even if he could handle it better at work.

So he tried. He dropped what Wesker had given him onto the couch, grabbed the man’s face, and kissed him.

Chris tried.

He tried to pretend like this was ok. That he didn’t care.

But he just couldn’t quite convince himself as he finally parted from Wesker and stepped back.

The man’s cheeks were slightly flushed, but the only thing he gave away was a raised eyebrow. “And your assessment?”

Of course he would know Chris was fucking testing himself. Chris let out a tired sigh and said, “I was hoping it was just physical. If it was just physical then—”

“You could alleviate some of the guilt you feel at not seeing it. The pain would be less.”

“And it didn’t fucking work.” Now Chris only wished he’d taken Wesker’s offer of using his own room so he could slam the door in his face. He settled for just saying, “I can’t forgive you. I just can’t.”

“I understand.”

“Do you? Or are you just saying it?”

“I truly do. Good night Chris.”

And with that, Wesker was gone and Chris was left alone on the first floor. He went to the small restroom down there, got changed, and then tried to fall asleep despite the near constant ache in his chest.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited to be getting into RE2/3 territory! Hope you enjoy and as of now, the estimated amount of chapters is staying stable so expect a good ten to fifteen more <3

Jill slowly blinked. The silence remained until she blurted out, “So you’re telling me this all began with Wesker fucking us behind our backs so I pretended I wanted to fuck him to find out he fucked us thinking I fucked you over because you wanted to fuck him, only to find out you’d already fucked him behind my back but now you’re pretending to fuck him like I was so that way tall gray and creepy doesn’t show up in a dark alleyway and permanently fuck you?”

Chris shrugged. They were sitting in Jill’s apartment over a late lunch. He sipped his water. “Well, when you put it like that…”

“Christ! Are we ever going to have a normal day again?”

“Oh, I don’t know about you. I’d say my day was pretty normal. Ended with dinner and a make out session,” Chris sighed, the bite clear in his words. “You’re the one who got bit by a co-worker and then had to put said co-worker down like a rabid dog.”

Jill let out a tired sigh. She automatically touched the bandages on her right bicep. She could still see that face. She’d seen the aftereffects plenty of times, even without realizing their origin. But this? It had been the first time she’d seen the change. The way the eyes shifted focus and the lips pulled back around the teeth for the first time. The scientist had slammed her against the wall with inhuman strength. Even Wesker hadn’t been quick enough. The woman had bit Jill before she hit the woman in the head. It had caused the woman to take a step back and had given Jill just enough room to fire two shots into her head.

“Shit.”

Jill looked up. She noted how Chris looked a bit guilty.

“Sorry. Just…that was probably cruel. Was making a bad joke and…yeah. That was uncalled for.”

“Pfft, I don’t know. I think I might still prefer it than having to kiss Wesker.”

Chris kicked her under the table for that, but at least they both eased up. “For the record,” he said, “I didn’t have to.”

“No, but I still can’t believe you were already messing around behind my back. Your crush was so obvious. I can’t believe I didn’t notice when you actually acted on it!”

“It was one time. Sure as shit doesn’t matter now anyways.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry too.”

“You got bitten.”

“Yeah, and your heart is hurting. That counts too. I’m sorry Chris. Really. But I am glad Wesker was able to keep you alive.”

“I guess. I just wish I could do more! He said we can use the time to talk more about what’s currently going on in Umbrella, but you’re the one actually working there. Not me! I still just feel so useless and if there are cases that get out of the labs because of that outbreak…fuck.”

“Hey, we can at least try to stop more people from dying. That has to still count. Otherwise, why are we doing this?”

Chris’ features softened. “You’re right. You always are—”

The phone interrupted him, and Jill quickly went to get it. Nowadays, there was no telling when it might be Umbrella. Chris stayed silent. His posture was stiff, showing that he probably expected some type of order to be given. In fact, it was technically Umbrella that called. It just wasn’t someone Jill absolutely hated.

Carlos spoke before she could even say hello.

“Jill! I’m so glad you answered! I only just got a second to breath or I would have called you earlier or yesterday. They say you got bit!”

“I’m fine. Wesker checked me out himself.”

Chris shifted. He looked on with slight confusion as the conversation continued.

“I mean, no way they would have let you out if you hadn’t been,” sighed Carlos. “But hearing your voice helps to confirm that. I’m just really happy you’re alright super cop. Was worried I might be in this alone.”

She understood what he meant. It made her want to say more. That she was glad Carlos had listened. That he wasn’t as bad as she’d thought. That he was a good man. However, she just settled on, “I’m not even a part of your unit, but the thought is appreciated. As is the calling, though I’m sure the company wouldn’t approve of us talking about work outside of it.”

In other words, thanks Carlos, but it was always a possibility someone could be listening. If there was anything more, it was time for him to suggest they meet in person. However, it seemed this really was just a personal call as Carlos said, “Yeah yeah, just had to make sure the true main character hadn’t been taken out by a two-bit extra.”

She actually laughed at that as a soft smile graced her face. “It’ll take more than that. I’ll likely see you at work if we don’t get coffee later.”

“Definitely. Rest up super cop. You deserve it. Bye Jill.”

“Bye,” she said before putting up the receiver and turning around.

Chris had obviously been analyzing what he could hear as he said, “I take it that’s the other person helping you?”

“Yeah.”

“And still no chance of meeting him?”

“Not right now. Keeping his involvement secret is pretty much the second most important goal I have at the moment. If he’s put in danger because of me, I could never forgive myself.”

“I know the feeling. So what now?”

“Rest for a bit. Then back to the grind of it all.”

“I wish you could just go to some court and tell them what you’ve seen. Have them send in their experts and get all this shut down.”

“I do too. But Umbrella has too many eyes and ears everywhere. I would be declared insane before ever getting the information out.”

“Yeah.” Chris downed the rest of his water and gestured at his plate. “Throw the rest of this in the fridge for me? I’ve honestly stayed longer than I meant to. Need to get back to work and all.”

“I got it. We already don’t have enough people to go around, especially with me being required to take the day off.”

“Take advantage of it. No way of knowing when you might get a chance like this again.”

“Point taken,” sighed Jill as she got up to grab some saran wrap for the food.

Part of her still couldn’t believe what Chris had told her. Which was pretty ironic because again, she’d gotten bitten by a zombie only yesterday and had somehow avoided contracting the virus. But it was real. All of it from Umbrella royally fucking up to Chris’ heartache. She felt bad. She wished that he could push that hurt to the side like she did everyday with Wesker. It was honestly easy to work with the man again. In a way, it was even easier than when she hadn’t known about all this because at least she had a better idea of what was going on in Wesker’s head. But she understood Chris too. His hurt was too personal to ignore. She was just glad he still hadn’t left her yet.

As for the actual accident inside Umbrella, it made Jill fear that she wouldn’t get enough information before a full-blown outbreak occurred. They were lucky they’d gone to the mansion earlier than expected. More of those things could have gotten out and into the city if they hadn’t. And it was lucky that Jill and Wesker had been present when the lab outbreak occurred along with a few other armed personnel. If they hadn’t had people to keep the virus contained…

Fuck. It could have spread through the labs like a hive before finding its way onto the streets.

But maybe that would be what Jill needed. An incident so monumental that it couldn’t be hidden or covered up. If that was true though, then countless lives would be lost. Jill just couldn’t bring herself to accept that. Not yet. She just needed to get something more concrete. Pictures of the creatures they were creating. Something that would hold weight beyond her word.

She refused to build a case on bodies.

Though Umbrella might not allow her to succeed in any other way.

It was difficult to say. Jill just knew she had to keep trying so she did.

Chris came back that night, finishing up the uneaten food and eventually falling asleep on her couch. She wondered if it was because he just wanted to be around someone or if it was Wesker’s warning that kept him from going home. Would Vladimir really kill Chris? It was possible. Jill’s few interactions with the man showed he was the most laser focused, company man she’d ever known. She just had to hope Wesker’s words had been enough.

And so the days passed. Slowly, they became more and more packed as her dual lives proved horrendous headaches.

At work, everyone asked about the bite and it was so hard coming up with a good lie. She didn’t think Edward or Richard believed her, though thankfully Brad had murmured, “I don’t want to know. I just…don’t.” Rebecca had guessed its true cause when they weren’t around others and had asked to see it. With her medical background, Jill had decided it couldn’t hurt. Not much was found but Rebecca did bring up with Wesker that bone growth was somehow affected by the virus. It had to be because no way did the bitemark look purely human anymore.

It was intriguing. It was disturbing and disgusting and no one should have ever created such a thing. But for the first time, when Wesker murmured that word, Jill had to agree. All of this was and with the right background, the right pull, she could understand how a person might get drawn in. But Jill had seen the aftereffects first, the horrors. No matter how the knowledge could possibly help people like Umbrella so often lied about, the company was just too corrupt to not bring down.

That was all the more obvious following the accident. Sure, they’d tried to clean it up, but the people at the top seemed to care very little how successful that was or wasn’t. A few get out. Some extra observations and tests just got to be run then. It benefited them, so why not just let it happen?

So Jill and Wesker and the rest of STARS cleaned up their mess in the following days while the work with Umbrella remained stressful and constant as the company still hadn’t transferred more people their way despite their sudden drop in numbers.

Even the days after they’d taken out the people that had turned above ground, Umbrella still hadn’t sent them more people. Wesker’s explanation was that there seemed to be some big leaps being made in a virus overseas. He didn’t know a lot about it, but he imagined many resources were going to that first. Jill wasn’t so sure, but for all she knew, it could just be crappy management. She didn’t have any further proof.

But those smaller numbers became incredibly obvious as something worse than a few people getting out and biting others was.

It got in the water.

Jill didn’t know how. She didn’t know how to prove it. Even Wesker was confused how such a monumental mistake could be made.

The city was put in lockdown on the cusp of summer leaving and fall arriving. The entire police force, STARS included, was being pulled thin. A way to neutralize the virus in the water was trying to be made at Umbrella. Wesker even brought Rebecca in due to her background so she could see the virus firsthand. It was a risky move. Jill expected Vladimir to retaliate. It was still a miracle he’d allowed Jill clearance. It was a miracle he hadn’t killed Chris. But he would have had to see something was fishy if Wesker brought in another person without vetting them.

Only she didn’t see Vladimir.

She didn’t see a lot of security.

And then Carlos told her, “Teams are getting pulled out. One by one. We’re last on the list, but we’re supposed to be gone day after tomorrow.”

“Gone? There are people eating each other in the streets! We’re called out three times a day! Why the hell would they pull you out!?”

“I don’t know! Jill, I really don’t or I’d say.”

“I know. I know…I…fuck. I shouldn’t have yelled. I’m sorry. Just…come to my place tonight. I think it’s time you met Wesker. Well, met him as my informant that is.”

“You think it’s safe?”

“All the authorities seem to be disappearing. No safer time than now. It could get us killed, but the next time we go down into the labs we have to bring evidence with us. No more covers. No more sneaking. If we don’t bring something out and send it to the right authorities, we might not come back from this.”

“Understood super cop. Give me your address and I’ll see you tonight.”

“Good, see you then.”

And so with her city starting to fall around her, she’d called Wesker and Rebecca to come to her place. She’d tried Brad and Chris, but neither had answered. She didn’t know why with Brad, where he could be right now, but Wesker explained that he’d asked Chris to watch Sherry, hence his absence.

“The kid, right?” Rebecca asked as she was a little more out of the loop. “Then this is serious. Real, real serious.”

“Yes, we have two goals when going into Umbrella,” Wesker said.

Jill held up her finger. “First, taking pictures, downloading discs, taking folders. Anything you can. Don’t worry, you’ll have Wesker’s clearance to get into most of what we need.”

“And two?”

“I need your help,” Wesker said. “We need to find a way to neutralize the viruses. There is a working vaccine for the G-virus, but not for T, and it is impossible to say how these viruses have been interacting with each other or if they’ve mutated past their intent. If the DEVIL vaccine will still work for G and its effect on T.”

“Wait, me!” squeaked Rebecca. “You want me to help do all that in…in what? A few days?”

“If we’re not caught and killed before then, yes.”

Wesker’s calm demeanor really wasn’t that calming in this instance and Jill took the young recruit’s arm. “You were brought into STARS for a reason,” she said. “You’re good at this. You made progress and saw things Wesker hadn’t in just the two hours you were allowed down there. Why? Because you come at it from a different perspective and that’s invaluable. We’ll also have someone else with us watching your back down there.”

“Your contact?” asked Wesker.

“He’s coming tonight. He was part of the UBCS.”

“Was?”

“I’d say this counts as a formal resignation.”

“That is certainly one way of looking at it.”

“Hang on, but what about the man who created the G-virus?” asked Rebecca. “Shouldn’t we get to him too?”

“I’ve been watching after Sherry the past several days. I know Annette and William are still working, but I have not been in contact with them,” Wesker sighed. “Believe me, I’ve tried.”

“Are the labs really that big?”

“Yes. You only saw a small portion. We will still enter through the hospital though where the tools we need will be close at hand. There is a chance Umbrella is still taking note. They could send people to stop us, but from the looks of it, Umbrella is starting to pull out of—”

The phone rang. Jill hoped it might be Brad calling her back but Wesker answered it before she could as he was closer.

“Chris? What is it?”

Jill and Rebecca instinctively stepped closer, trying to hear the other end of the conversation.

“You’re at the police station? Why—”

Jill couldn’t clearly hear what Chris had been saying, but she heard what interrupted him. The loud sound was unmistakable. A gunshot.

“Chris!” But it seemed Chris was already gone as Wesker pulled back and just staired at the phone, his face frozen as they all just faintly heard another gunshot go off and what sounded like garbled screams.

Somehow it was Rebecca who reacted first. “Y-you said the station? We need to get there. Now.”

Wesker slowly swallowed. “Yes.”

“Wait, what about the plan?” asked Jill. “If this virus isn’t stopped, nothing matters. It’s already spread ridiculously fast in the past week. What do you think tomorrow will look like? Chris can take care of himself and you said he’s at the station. He has people to back him up. Whatever’s going on, we have to trust him.”

Wesker didn’t respond. He actually looked reluctant to follow her logic. Was it because Sherry was supposed to be with him? Was even a little bit of the worry for Chris himself? Jill certainly wanted to run to the station too, but the situation was on the brink of being unsalvageable. She had to put aside her fear for Chris and the kid if she didn’t want to lose the rest of the people in this city.

A scream from outside broke her concentration and had everyone spinning towards the window. It was soon followed by the sound of a crash and another scream. Rebecca stepped forward. “What was—”

But they were quickly looking back as the sound of wood splintering dragged their attention away just in time for Jill’s door to explode forth. All she could do was watch as a hand as big as her face grabbed Wesker’s shoulder and threw his entire body into the hallway like a ragdoll.

Jill had thought they would have time. She’d thought they would be able to fix this.

But what had been thirty bad cases and a citywide lockdown only a few hours ago had just gone apocalyptic.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter in record time! Yay! And next chapter we'll get to see what Chris is up to. Enjoy!

Jill recognized it.

Even with the black plastic wrapped around it, no human could stand before them, so large and with such strength. She couldn’t say what version of the T-series it was as its face was covered. It didn’t have any large claw like the one in the mansion and they’d been working on so many different versions in the labs it was difficult to know what was what. All she could say was that the ones she’d seen had always been in tubes and test chambers. The creatures had caved in heads. Missing bones and deformed limbs. Failure after failure after failure. But this? This thing was fully formed. It stood on its own two legs. Had just broken through her apartment door and thrown Wesker into the hallway. It was a working, living organism, made all the more obvious as it seemed to focus on them and a garbled out voice said, “ _STARS_.”

She reacted instantly and dove to the side.

Her gun was resting in its holster on the side table. Pulling it out, she unloaded her clip into its face. The plastic tore but the bullets didn’t exit the skull. She didn’t expect to kill it, but hoped it stunned him just enough to give her time to get out. It stepped back on the last shot and Jill quickly reached back and grabbed Rebecca’s hand.

“Run!”

They rushed out the broken door, just barely missing a swinging strike from its arm that cracked the wall. Jill pushed Rebecca forward and out of harm’s way. She dropped down to grab Wesker. Rebecca turned around and covered them. Thankfully, she’d just been from work and still had her service weapon on her. She fired as Jill managed to get Wesker on his feet.

“The stairwell is this way! Come on!”

At first, Jill was just thankful they were faster. Even with Wesker struggling to breath, they were ahead. Rebecca pushed the door open and the three of them rushed down to the floor below them. However, before they could keep going, the door to that floor along with the ceiling crumbled. The debris blocked them from running further down the stairs as fire flared up in front of them. It had to have just started or else the fire alarm would have gone off sooner.

The monster fell through. He grabbed Jill and threw her straight through a wall and into an apartment that was in the middle of construction. She couldn’t tell where her gun had landed as it was Wesker and Rebecca’s turn to help her up. There was an open window they zeroed in on. Wesker went through first. Then Jill. Rebecca was almost through when something exploded and shot the three of them hurtling over the fire escape railing.

It was a two story drop. They hit the ground hard. Jill rolled onto her back just in time to see another explosion shoot out and more of the building fall in on itself. Hopefully, it had taken the monster with it.

“Report,” croaked Wesker.

“No broken limbs. Some scrapes and bruises though,” murmured Rebecca as she pushed herself up.

“Definitely a lot of bruising,” Jill said. She winced as she sat up too. “Wesker?”

“At least one broken rib.”

Jill tried to get up and felt the pain shoot through her side. “That might be ditto, but we need to keep moving.”

They got off the ground and Rebecca retrieved her gun from where it had fallen. Wesker took off his now broken sunglasses and threw them to the side. His brow was furrowed as they made their way out of the alleyway and into the chaos in front of them. Already they could see people running for cover. Jill could see someone near them that had turned. She was already eating through a chest cavity. Thankfully, they weren’t spotted. Wesker said, “We need cover. Now.”

“This way,” Jill gestured to the left. “There looks like we’ll actually be able to get through.”

“It was fine just a few hours ago. How could it fall apart so quickly? A natural mutation?”

Wesker shook his head. “A biological weapon that can’t be controlled is as dangerous for the owner as it is for the enemy. T and G have been carefully engineered over the years. It can’t be that.”

Rebecca tried to argue otherwise, but a different idea started to grow in Jill’s head. Before she said anything though, she watched as a woman screamed and a hoard of zombies followed her out into the street. Jill took a step to help her, but Wesker grabbed her arm.

“We have one gun between us. We’ll just get ourselves killed. Here, this way.” He pushed a door open. Jill reluctantly followed him into the store. There was already one fresh corpse on the ground. There didn’t seem to be anyone else, though Rebecca still checked the corners before they settled in the back.

Jill finally said what she feared to be the truth. “They did this on purpose.”

“You mean Umbrella?”

“It has to be—”

“No,” cut in Wesker. “There are too many resources still here that will be lost because of this. It wouldn’t make sense for Umbrella to allow so much death without cause.”

Jill looked him hard in the face. Once the idea had formed, she had briefly wondered if Wesker was in on it. Did he even jumpstart this perhaps? Use it as a way to disappear in the chaos, get all his loose ends killed off and with a vial carefully tucked away in his pocket?

But no. She didn’t believe that. Despite everything, this situation was doing exactly what Wesker had hoped to avoid. A chaotic awakening to B.O.Ws and the irresponsible use of them. He still cared about Sherry and who knew what kind of hell she was in. If she was safe or not. He wouldn’t have put her in that kind of danger so how could he have missed this?

And it clicked.

“You are so narcissistic,” Jill whispered, “that you never applied your own logic to yourself.”

“Excuse me?”

“You say Umbrella can’t do this because they’ll lose valuable resources? You’re counting yourself as that. You think you’re important to them despite how time and time again you remark on how the people under them are disposable puppets. You’re one of the fucking puppets Wesker.”

His brow furrowed more. His bright blue eyes blinked as he stared at her and clearly didn’t agree with her assessment, even while the evidence told him he couldn’t deny it.

Jill had never thought of this, but that was because she’d focused on his wanting out. To be a free man. Yet that freedom had simply been about choice, never worth because he’d always thought himself valued. And why wouldn’t he? He’d practically been bread and born by Umbrella. It was what he knew. Parents, siblings, family, it didn’t matter. But Umbrella? Umbrella needed him. They’d sent him to the best schools, had him lead STARS.

Only that wasn’t true.

Wesker had always been as expendable as everyone else, as Jill was and the entire city.

Would Wesker believe her? Or would he try to argue?

She didn’t get a chance to find out as a crash was heard from the front. As no human cries came with it, it was easy to guess what was coming their way. Rebecca was fastest and quickly pushed open a back door. “This way!”

They ran out the back and into a parking lot. Jill had thought the street bad. This didn’t compare in the slightest.

The heads turned.

The mouths opened.

Rebecca’s arms came up, but Jill pushed them down. “Save your bullets! This way!”

They ran from the dead. From the crashed cars and burning buildings. Then Jill heard a gunshot. She changed course and Wesker and Rebecca followed close behind. They turned a street corner just in time to see a woman get devoured and for Brad to blow out the head of another zombie that dove for him. He kept trying to back up. A bar was at his back. Jill hoped the door wasn’t fucking barred.

This time, Rebecca fired her gun to help Brad as more creatures turned to face them. Jill ran straight for the door. Something had been shoved in front of it but Wesker helped her push it out of the way. The four of them rushed inside but the door’s lock was broken and there was nothing heavy enough to successfully block it. Even with all four of them against the doors and the partially moved barricade, the doors were still caving inward.

“Go!”

Jill’s eyes went wide. “We’re not leaving you Brad! We just-we need something to just hold them off. Something in here—Wesker, get your back on the door!”

He had stepped away. The next shove proved even more difficult without him there. An arm got through and now the doors weren’t even completely closed as the cries of the dead filled Jill’s ears.

Despite the noise, Wesker spoke softly, almost gently. “We need to go.”

“If we don’t at least delay them, then they’ll catch up to us! We need to—”

“I’ll delay them! Just go!”

“He has it.” Wesker took a step back when another collective shove occurred. “Jill, Rebecca. Please.”

And Jill finally looked.

The blood.

The torn flesh.

Her eyes locked onto Brad’s.

Jill’s body went limp and the next shove caused her to stumble forward, leaving only Rebecca and Brad on the doors. She spun around. Why hadn’t he answered her call! Why hadn’t he been at her apartment when all this had started! Why hadn’t he been with them!

“Brad,” tried Rebecca. “You might not be—”

“I’m fucked. I can tell that. Least I can do is pay you back for last time.”

“You never had to pay me or Chris back. I already forgave you—”

“I know! Just-please! I’m sorry for everything! And just tell Chris I’m sorry too. One last time.”

Rebecca nodded and finally she too got off the door. Brad took a second to hold out his gun. Somehow, Jill managed to force herself to grab it.

“We need to go—”

“Sir!”

Wesker stopped and looked at Brad. For once, Wesker’s face was so god damn open.

“Wish I could say it was a pleasure serving under you—” Brad grunted as the dead pushed again. At any moment they were going to break through and already Brad was looking weaker, face pale and eyes glazed. “But I might just forgive you on one condition. Get STARS out. Keep-keep my friends safe!”

“Brad…” whispered Rebecca.

“Even you noobie. STARS was all I ever had. Now go!”

The door strained against Brad’s back and finally Jill turned away and ran. She just barely heard Brad’s screams as they went out the back and were moving again.

Another loss because of Umbrella.

Jill took a deep breath despite the sharp pain in her side. Her shoulders eased slightly as her grip tightened on Brad’s gun. She would mourn him later. Now it was time to use the emotions in her chest to fuel her fire. “We need to find someplace so we can think out a plan.”

“Parking garage that way,” Wesker said. “It’ll be open but will give us plenty of exit strategies. Might even get a car out of it.”

They changed course again and quickly rushed through the streets. They tried to use their guns sparingly and after a while climbed the stairs of the parking garage. They killed the few zombies on the second floor and then situated themselves in an open corner. Nothing could come at them from behind and they had several exits that they could clearly see in front of them. They could even jump over the edge if it was really required too, though judging from everyone’s state, that wouldn’t be the best plan.

“We need to get to the hospital,” Jill sighed as she checked their bullets. Two left in Rebecca’s gun. Five left in Brad’s-her gun.

“We need to get to Sherry.”

“Wesker, I feel for the kid. I want to find Chris too—”

“What she carries with her,” interrupted Wesker. “We’ll need it if we’re to have any luck in stopping this.”

“Shit.”

“Then the precinct?” questioned Rebecca. “It feels like it’s so far away on foot-wait!” She unhooked her walkie-talkie. “I completely forgot I still had this.”

“Does it still work?”

She quickly tried it out. It turned on and she started changing the frequency, looking if anyone was broadcasting—

“Go back! That was Carlos’ voice!”

Wesker frowned. “Carlos Oliveira was your contact?”

“I’m surprised you even remember his name.”

“He was in the labs often enough. I’m simply shocked he put anything together.”

“I gave him a little nudging. But Rebecca, see if he can hear us.”

“This is Rebecca Chambers, Jill Valentine, and Albert Wesker. We are in a parking garage approximately…um…street names?”

Jill told her, she hoped she was remembering that right, and the moment Rebecca said over, Carlos’ voice was jumping through the crackling speaker.

“Jill, thank Christ! I was on my way to see you when it seemed to start jumping from every other person I came across. I managed to get a few survivors to safety. We’re in one of Umbrella’s train stations. Over.”

Jill spoke to Wesker and Rebecca. “That could help us to move through the city. Get to the precinct and the main lab under the hospital. Is there an opening near us?”

Wesker nodded. “I can get us there.”

Jill took the walkie-talkie and quickly said, “Carlos, we’ll try to meet you there but if you have to leave and get people to safety, do it. Are there supplies where you are? Over.”

“I’ll start looking. See you soon super cop. Over”

Jill handed it back to Rebecca as they both started to follow Wesker towards the stairs. However, they didn’t take two steps before an explosion rocketed the parking garage. The above layers of concrete crumbled as the flames flickered out before that thing jumped down. Its face was partially unobscured as fire burned off some of the coverings. It pulled a weapon up onto his shoulder and its voice bellowed towards them.

“ _STARS_.”


End file.
